Monitoring system control interface for asset tree determination

ABSTRACT

A method to provide an interface for asset tee determination includes performing a search of data, the search including user-supplied criteria information, causing display of results of the search, receiving user input providing classifications for the results of the search, the classifications indicating asset identifier and asset parent identifier fields in the results of the search, identifying, based on the user input and the results of the search, a plurality of unique assets identifiers and corresponding asset parent identifiers, and automatically generating a computer representation of an asset hierarchy comprising an asset node for each asset identifier, an asset parent node for each asset parent identifier, and a representation of hierarchical relationships between asset nodes and asset parent nodes.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/661,602, filed Oct. 23, 2019, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/224,637, filed Jul.31, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,503,784, and entitled “Control Interfacefor Asset Tree Monitoring,” each of which is incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to automatic system monitoring apparatus,more particularly, to asset tree monitoring.

BACKGROUND

Modern operational systems often comprise large numbers of assets aboutwhich machine data is generated by the assets themselves or othersystems and components that generate information about the asset. As thenumber, complexity, and sophistication of such asset-based systems, andthe volume of machine data generated by and about them, increases,processing large volumes of machine-generated and machine-mediated datain an intelligent manner and effectively presenting the results of suchprocessing continues to be a priority.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a networked computer environment in which anembodiment may be implemented;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an example data intake and querysystem in which an embodiment may be implemented;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram that illustrates how indexers process, index,and store data received from forwarders in accordance with the disclosedembodiments;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram that illustrates how a search head and indexersperform a search query in accordance with the disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 5 illustrates a scenario where a common customer ID is found amonglog data received from three disparate sources in accordance with thedisclosed embodiments;

FIG. 6A illustrates a search screen in accordance with the disclosedembodiments;

FIG. 6B illustrates a data summary dialog that enables a user to selectvarious data sources in accordance with the disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example search query received from a client andexecuted by search peers in accordance with the disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of an example cloud-based data intakeand query system in which an embodiment may be implemented;

FIG. 9 illustrates a block diagram of an example data intake and querysystem that performs searches across external data systems in accordancewith the disclosed embodiments;

FIG. 10 illustrates an asset hierarchy monitoring and reporting systemdeployment in one embodiment.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate an illustrative asset hierarchy structure.

FIG. 12 illustrates methods of an asset hierarchy monitoring andreporting system in one embodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates a user interface display of a console function forspecifying data inputs.

FIG. 14 illustrates a method for constructing an asset treerepresentation in control storage.

FIG. 15 illustrates a user interface display for an asset search consolefunction.

FIG. 16 illustrates a user interface display for an asset informationclassification console function.

FIG. 17 illustrates a user interface for an asset tree display consolefunction.

FIG. 18 illustrates a user interface display for a metrics consolefunction.

FIG. 19 illustrates a user interface display for a metrics configurationconsole function.

FIG. 20 illustrates a user interface display for a metrics condition andalerts console function.

FIG. 21 illustrates a user interface display for an actions consolefunction.

FIG. 22 illustrates a user interface display for creating or editing acustom monitoring or reporting presentation for an asset tree.

FIG. 23 illustrates a user interface display of a custom asset treepresentation.

FIG. 24 illustrates a user interface display for a metrics view.

FIG. 25 illustrates a user interface display for a conditions and alertsview.

FIG. 26 illustrates a user interface display for a diagnostics view.

FIG. 27 illustrates a user interface display for a map view of assettree data.

FIG. 28 illustrates a user interface display for a map you of asset treedata with a timeline.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Modern data centers and other computing and automation environments cancomprise anywhere from a few host computer systems to thousands ofsystems configured to process data, service requests from remoteclients, and perform numerous other computational tasks. Duringoperation, various components within these computing environments oftengenerate significant volumes of machine-generated data. For example,machine data is generated by various components in the informationtechnology (IT) environments, such as servers, sensors, routers, mobiledevices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, etc. Machine-generated datacan include system logs, network packet data, sensor data, applicationprogram data, error logs, stack traces, system performance data, etc. Ingeneral, machine-generated data can also include performance data,diagnostic information, and many other types of data that can beanalyzed to diagnose performance problems, monitor user interactions,and to derive other insights.

A number of tools are available to analyze machine data, that is,machine-generated data. In order to reduce the size of the potentiallyvast amount of machine data that may be generated, many of these toolstypically pre-process the data based on anticipated data-analysis needs.For example, pre-specified data items may be extracted from the machinedata and stored in a database to facilitate efficient retrieval andanalysis of those data items at search time. However, the rest of themachine data typically is not saved and discarded during pre-processing.As storage capacity becomes progressively cheaper and more plentiful,there are fewer incentives to discard these portions of machine data andmany reasons to retain more of the data.

This plentiful storage capacity is presently making it feasible to storemassive quantities of minimally processed machine data for laterretrieval and analysis. In general, storing minimally processed machinedata and performing analysis operations at search time can providegreater flexibility because it enables an analyst to search all of themachine data, instead of searching only a pre-specified set of dataitems. This may enable an analyst to investigate different aspects ofthe machine data that previously were unavailable for analysis.

However, analyzing and searching massive quantities of machine datapresents a number of challenges. For example, a data center, servers, ornetwork appliances may generate many different types and formats ofmachine data (e.g., system logs, network packet data (e.g., wire data,etc.), sensor data, application program data, error logs, stack traces,system performance data, operating system data, virtualization data,etc.) from thousands of different components, which can collectively bevery time-consuming to analyze. In another example, mobile devices maygenerate large amounts of information relating to data accesses,application performance, operating system performance, networkperformance, etc. There can be millions of mobile devices that reportthese types of information.

These challenges can be addressed by using an event-based data intakeand query system, such as the SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system developed bySplunk Inc. of San Francisco, Calif. The SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system isthe leading platform for providing real-time operational intelligencethat enables organizations to collect, index, and searchmachine-generated data from various websites, applications, servers,networks, and mobile devices that power their businesses. The SPLUNK®ENTERPRISE system is particularly useful for analyzing data which iscommonly found in system log files, network data, and other data inputsources. Although many of the techniques described herein are explainedwith reference to a data intake and query system similar to the SPLUNK®ENTERPRISE system, these techniques are also applicable to other typesof data systems.

In the SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system, machine-generated data are collectedand stored as “events”. An event comprises a portion of themachine-generated data and is associated with a specific point in time.For example, events may be derived from “time series data,” where thetime series data comprises a sequence of data points (e.g., performancemeasurements from a computer system, etc.) that are associated withsuccessive points in time. In general, each event can be associated witha timestamp that is derived from the raw data in the event, determinedthrough interpolation between temporally proximate events having knowntimestamps, or determined based on other configurable rules forassociating timestamps with events, etc.

In some instances, machine data can have a predefined format, where dataitems with specific data formats are stored at predefined locations inthe data. For example, the machine data may include data stored asfields in a database table. In other instances, machine data may nothave a predefined format, that is, the data is not at fixed, predefinedlocations, but the data does have repeatable patterns and is not random.This means that some machine data can comprise various data items ofdifferent data types and that may be stored at different locationswithin the data. For example, when the data source is an operatingsystem log, an event can include one or more lines from the operatingsystem log containing raw data that includes different types ofperformance and diagnostic information associated with a specific pointin time.

Examples of components which may generate machine data from which eventscan be derived include, but are not limited to, web servers, applicationservers, databases, firewalls, routers, operating systems, and softwareapplications that execute on computer systems, mobile devices, sensors,Internet of Things (IoT) devices, etc. The data generated by such datasources can include, for example and without limitation, server logfiles, activity log files, configuration files, messages, network packetdata, performance measurements, sensor measurements, etc.

The SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system uses flexible schema to specify how toextract information from the event data. A flexible schema may bedeveloped and redefined as needed. Note that a flexible schema may beapplied to event data “on the fly,” when it is needed (e.g., at searchtime, index time, ingestion time, etc.). When the schema is not appliedto event data until search time it may be referred to as a “late-bindingschema.”

During operation, the SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system starts with raw inputdata (e.g., one or more system logs, streams of network packet data,sensor data, application program data, error logs, stack traces, systemperformance data, etc.). The system divides this raw data into blocks(e.g., buckets of data, each associated with a specific time frame,etc.), and parses the raw data to produce timestamped events. The systemstores the timestamped events in a data store. The system enables usersto run queries against the stored data to, for example, retrieve eventsthat meet criteria specified in a query, such as containing certainkeywords or having specific values in defined fields. As used hereinthroughout, data that is part of an event is referred to as “eventdata”. In this context, the term “field” refers to a location in theevent data containing one or more values for a specific data item. Aswill be described in more detail herein, the fields are defined byextraction rules (e.g., regular expressions) that derive one or morevalues from the portion of raw machine data in each event that has aparticular field specified by an extraction rule. The set of values soproduced are semantically-related (such as IP address), even though theraw machine data in each event may be in different formats (e.g.,semantically-related values may be in different positions in the eventsderived from different sources).

As noted above, the SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system utilizes a late-bindingschema to event data while performing queries on events. One aspect of alate-binding schema is applying “extraction rules” to event data toextract values for specific fields during search time. Morespecifically, the extraction rules for a field can include one or moreinstructions that specify how to extract a value for the field from theevent data. An extraction rule can generally include any type ofinstruction for extracting values from data in events. In some cases, anextraction rule comprises a regular expression where a sequence ofcharacters form a search pattern, in which case the rule is referred toas a “regex rule.” The system applies the regex rule to the event datato extract values for associated fields in the event data by searchingthe event data for the sequence of characters defined in the regex rule.

In the SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system, a field extractor may be configured toautomatically generate extraction rules for certain field values in theevents when the events are being created, indexed, or stored, orpossibly at a later time. Alternatively, a user may manually defineextraction rules for fields using a variety of techniques. In contrastto a conventional schema for a database system, a late-binding schema isnot defined at data ingestion time. Instead, the late-binding schema canbe developed on an ongoing basis until the time a query is actuallyexecuted. This means that extraction rules for the fields in a query maybe provided in the query itself, or may be located during execution ofthe query. Hence, as a user learns more about the data in the events,the user can continue to refine the late-binding schema by adding newfields, deleting fields, or modifying the field extraction rules for usethe next time the schema is used by the system. Because the SPLUNK®ENTERPRISE system maintains the underlying raw data and useslate-binding schema for searching the raw data, it enables a user tocontinue investigating and learn valuable insights about the raw data.

In some embodiments, a common field name may be used to reference two ormore fields containing equivalent data items, even though the fields maybe associated with different types of events that possibly havedifferent data formats and different extraction rules. By enabling acommon field name to be used to identify equivalent fields fromdifferent types of events generated by disparate data sources, thesystem facilitates use of a “common information model” (CIM) across thedisparate data sources (further discussed with respect to FIG. 5 ).

2.0. Operating Environment

FIG. 1 illustrates a networked computer system 100 in which anembodiment may be implemented. Those skilled in the art would understandthat FIG. 1 represents one example of a networked computer system andother embodiments may use different arrangements.

The networked computer system 100 comprises one or more computingdevices. These one or more computing devices comprise any combination ofhardware and software configured to implement the various logicalcomponents described herein. For example, the one or more computingdevices may include one or more memories that store instructions forimplementing the various components described herein, one or morehardware processors configured to execute the instructions stored in theone or more memories, and various data repositories in the one or morememories for storing data structures utilized and manipulated by thevarious components.

In an embodiment, one or more client devices 102 are coupled to one ormore host devices 106 and a data intake and query system 108 via one ormore networks 104. Networks 104 broadly represent one or more LANs,WANs, cellular networks (e.g., LTE, HSPA, 3G, and other cellulartechnologies), and/or networks using any of wired, wireless, terrestrialmicrowave, or satellite links, and may include the public Internet.

2.1. Host Devices

In the illustrated embodiment, a system 100 includes one or more hostdevices 106. Host devices 106 may broadly include any number ofcomputers, virtual machine instances, and/or data centers that areconfigured to host or execute one or more instances of host applications114. In general, a host device 106 may be involved, directly orindirectly, in processing requests received from client devices 102.Each host device 106 may comprise, for example, one or more of a networkdevice, a web server, an application server, a database server, etc. Acollection of host devices 106 may be configured to implement anetwork-based service. For example, a provider of a network-basedservice may configure one or more host devices 106 and host applications114 (e.g., one or more web servers, application servers, databaseservers, etc.) to collectively implement the network-based application.

In general, client devices 102 communicate with one or more hostapplications 114 to exchange information. The communication between aclient device 102 and a host application 114 may, for example, be basedon the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or any other network protocol.Content delivered from the host application 114 to a client device 102may include, for example, HTML documents, media content, etc. Thecommunication between a client device 102 and host application 114 mayinclude sending various requests and receiving data packets. Forexample, in general, a client device 102 or application running on aclient device may initiate communication with a host application 114 bymaking a request for a specific resource (e.g., based on an HTTPrequest), and the application server may respond with the requestedcontent stored in one or more response packets.

In the illustrated embodiment, one or more of host applications 114 maygenerate various types of performance data during operation, includingevent logs, network data, sensor data, and other types ofmachine-generated data. For example, a host application 114 comprising aweb server may generate one or more web server logs in which details ofinteractions between the web server and any number of client devices 102is recorded. As another example, a host device 106 comprising a routermay generate one or more router logs that record information related tonetwork traffic managed by the router. As yet another example, a hostapplication 114 comprising a database server may generate one or morelogs that record information related to requests sent from other hostapplications 114 (e.g., web servers or application servers) for datamanaged by the database server.

2.2. Client Devices

Client devices 102 of FIG. 1 represent any computing device capable ofinteracting with one or more host devices 106 via a network 104.Examples of client devices 102 may include, without limitation, smartphones, tablet computers, handheld computers, wearable devices, laptopcomputers, desktop computers, servers, portable media players, gamingdevices, and so forth. In general, a client device 102 can provideaccess to different content, for instance, content provided by one ormore host devices 106, etc. Each client device 102 may comprise one ormore client applications 110, described in more detail in a separatesection hereinafter.

2.3. Client Device Applications

In an embodiment, each client device 102 may host or execute one or moreclient applications 110 that are capable of interacting with one or morehost devices 106 via one or more networks 104. For instance, a clientapplication 110 may be or comprise a web browser that a user may use tonavigate to one or more websites or other resources provided by one ormore host devices 106. As another example, a client application 110 maycomprise a mobile application or “app.” For example, an operator of anetwork-based service hosted by one or more host devices 106 may makeavailable one or more mobile apps that enable users of client devices102 to access various resources of the network-based service. As yetanother example, client applications 110 may include backgroundprocesses that perform various operations without direct interactionfrom a user. A client application 110 may include a “plug-in” or“extension” to another application, such as a web browser plug-in orextension.

In an embodiment, a client application 110 may include a monitoringcomponent 112. At a high level, the monitoring component 112 comprises asoftware component or other logic that facilitates generatingperformance data related to a client device's operating state, includingmonitoring network traffic sent and received from the client device andcollecting other device and/or application-specific information.Monitoring component 112 may be an integrated component of a clientapplication 110, a plug-in, an extension, or any other type of add-oncomponent. Monitoring component 112 may also be a stand-alone process.

In one embodiment, a monitoring component 112 may be created when aclient application 110 is developed, for example, by an applicationdeveloper using a software development kit (SDK). The SDK may includecustom monitoring code that can be incorporated into the codeimplementing a client application 110. When the code is converted to anexecutable application, the custom code implementing the monitoringfunctionality can become part of the application itself.

In some cases, an SDK or other code for implementing the monitoringfunctionality may be offered by a provider of a data intake and querysystem, such as a system 108. In such cases, the provider of the system108 can implement the custom code so that performance data generated bythe monitoring functionality is sent to the system 108 to facilitateanalysis of the performance data by a developer of the clientapplication or other users.

In an embodiment, the custom monitoring code may be incorporated intothe code of a client application 110 in a number of different ways, suchas the insertion of one or more lines in the client application codethat call or otherwise invoke the monitoring component 112. As such, adeveloper of a client application 110 can add one or more lines of codeinto the client application 110 to trigger the monitoring component 112at desired points during execution of the application. Code thattriggers the monitoring component may be referred to as a monitortrigger. For instance, a monitor trigger may be included at or near thebeginning of the executable code of the client application 110 such thatthe monitoring component 112 is initiated or triggered as theapplication is launched, or included at other points in the code thatcorrespond to various actions of the client application, such as sendinga network request or displaying a particular interface.

In an embodiment, the monitoring component 112 may monitor one or moreaspects of network traffic sent and/or received by a client application110. For example, the monitoring component 112 may be configured tomonitor data packets transmitted to and/or from one or more hostapplications 114. Incoming and/or outgoing data packets can be read orexamined to identify network data contained within the packets, forexample, and other aspects of data packets can be analyzed to determinea number of network performance statistics. Monitoring network trafficmay enable information to be gathered particular to the networkperformance associated with a client application 110 or set ofapplications.

In an embodiment, network performance data refers to any type of datathat indicates information about the network and/or network performance.Network performance data may include, for instance, a URL requested, aconnection type (e.g., HTTP, HTTPS, etc.), a connection start time, aconnection end time, an HTTP status code, request length, responselength, request headers, response headers, connection status (e.g.,completion, response time(s), failure, etc.), and the like. Uponobtaining network performance data indicating performance of thenetwork, the network performance data can be transmitted to a dataintake and query system 108 for analysis.

Upon developing a client application 110 that incorporates a monitoringcomponent 112, the client application 110 can be distributed to clientdevices 102. Applications generally can be distributed to client devices102 in any manner, or they can be pre-loaded. In some cases, theapplication may be distributed to a client device 102 via an applicationmarketplace or other application distribution system. For instance, anapplication marketplace or other application distribution system mightdistribute the application to a client device based on a request fromthe client device to download the application.

Examples of functionality that enables monitoring performance of aclient device are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/524,748, entitled “UTILIZING PACKET HEADERS TO MONITOR NETWORKTRAFFIC IN ASSOCIATION WITH A CLIENT DEVICE”, filed on 27 Oct. 2014, andwhich is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for allpurposes.

In an embodiment, the monitoring component 112 may also monitor andcollect performance data related to one or more aspects of theoperational state of a client application 110 and/or client device 102.For example, a monitoring component 112 may be configured to collectdevice performance information by monitoring one or more client deviceoperations, or by making calls to an operating system and/or one or moreother applications executing on a client device 102 for performanceinformation. Device performance information may include, for instance, acurrent wireless signal strength of the device, a current connectiontype and network carrier, current memory performance information, ageographic location of the device, a device orientation, and any otherinformation related to the operational state of the client device.

In an embodiment, the monitoring component 112 may also monitor andcollect other device profile information including, for example, a typeof client device, a manufacturer and model of the device, versions ofvarious software applications installed on the device, and so forth.

In general, a monitoring component 112 may be configured to generateperformance data in response to a monitor trigger in the code of aclient application 110 or other triggering application event, asdescribed above, and to store the performance data in one or more datarecords. Each data record, for example, may include a collection offield-value pairs, each field-value pair storing a particular item ofperformance data in association with a field for the item. For example,a data record generated by a monitoring component 112 may include a“networkLatency” field (not shown in the Figure) in which a value isstored. This field indicates a network latency measurement associatedwith one or more network requests. The data record may include a “state”field to store a value indicating a state of a network connection, andso forth for any number of aspects of collected performance data.

2.4. Data Server System

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary data intake and querysystem 108, similar to the SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system. System 108includes one or more forwarders 204 that receive data from a variety ofinput data sources 202, and one or more indexers 206 that process andstore the data in one or more data stores 208. These forwarders andindexers can comprise separate computer systems, or may alternativelycomprise separate processes executing on one or more computer systems.

Each data source 202 broadly represents a distinct source of data thatcan be consumed by a system 108. Examples of a data source 202 include,without limitation, data files, directories of files, data sent over anetwork, event logs, registries, etc.

During operation, the forwarders 204 identify which indexers 206 receivedata collected from a data source 202 and forward the data to theappropriate indexers. Forwarders 204 can also perform operations on thedata before forwarding, including removing extraneous data, detectingtimestamps in the data, parsing data, indexing data, routing data basedon criteria relating to the data being routed, and/or performing otherdata transformations.

In an embodiment, a forwarder 204 may comprise a service accessible toclient devices 102 and host devices 106 via a network 104. For example,one type of forwarder 204 may be capable of consuming vast amounts ofreal-time data from a potentially large number of client devices 102and/or host devices 106. The forwarder 204 may, for example, comprise acomputing device which implements multiple data pipelines or “queues” tohandle forwarding of network data to indexers 206. A forwarder 204 mayalso perform many of the functions that are performed by an indexer. Forexample, a forwarder 204 may perform keyword extractions on raw data orparse raw data to create events. A forwarder 204 may generate timestamps for events. Additionally or alternatively, a forwarder 204 mayperform routing of events to indexers. Data store 208 may contain eventsderived from machine data from a variety of sources all pertaining tothe same component in an IT environment, and this data may be producedby the machine in question or by other components in the IT environment.

2.5. Data Ingestion

FIG. 3 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example data flow performedby Data Intake and Query system 108, in accordance with the disclosedembodiments. The data flow illustrated in FIG. 3 is provided forillustrative purposes only; those skilled in the art would understandthat one or more of the steps of the processes illustrated in FIG. 3 maybe removed or the ordering of the steps may be changed. Furthermore, forthe purposes of illustrating a clear example, one or more particularsystem components are described in the context of performing variousoperations during each of the data flow stages. For example, a forwarderis described as receiving and processing data during an input phase; anindexer is described as parsing and indexing data during parsing andindexing phases; and a search head is described as performing a searchquery during a search phase. However, other system arrangements anddistributions of the processing steps across system components may beused.

2.5.1. Input

At block 302, a forwarder receives data from an input source, such as adata source 202 shown in FIG. 2 . A forwarder initially may receive thedata as a raw data stream generated by the input source. For example, aforwarder may receive a data stream from a log file generated by anapplication server, from a stream of network data from a network device,or from any other source of data. In one embodiment, a forwarderreceives the raw data and may segment the data stream into “blocks”, or“buckets,” possibly of a uniform data size, to facilitate subsequentprocessing steps.

At block 304, a forwarder or other system component annotates each blockgenerated from the raw data with one or more metadata fields. Thesemetadata fields may, for example, provide information related to thedata block as a whole and may apply to each event that is subsequentlyderived from the data in the data block. For example, the metadatafields may include separate fields specifying each of a host, a source,and a source type related to the data block. A host field may contain avalue identifying a host name or IP address of a device that generatedthe data. A source field may contain a value identifying a source of thedata, such as a pathname of a file or a protocol and port related toreceived network data. A source type field may contain a valuespecifying a particular source type label for the data. Additionalmetadata fields may also be included during the input phase, such as acharacter encoding of the data, if known, and possibly other values thatprovide information relevant to later processing steps. In anembodiment, a forwarder forwards the annotated data blocks to anothersystem component (typically an indexer) for further processing.

The SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system allows forwarding of data from one SPLUNK®ENTERPRISE instance to another, or even to a third-party system. SPLUNK®ENTERPRISE system can employ different types of forwarders in aconfiguration.

In an embodiment, a forwarder may contain the essential componentsneeded to forward data. It can gather data from a variety of inputs andforward the data to a SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE server for indexing andsearching. It also can tag metadata (e.g., source, source type, host,etc.).

Additionally or optionally, in an embodiment, a forwarder has thecapabilities of the aforementioned forwarder as well as additionalcapabilities. The forwarder can parse data before forwarding the data(e.g., associate a time stamp with a portion of data and create anevent, etc.) and can route data based on criteria such as source or typeof event. It can also index data locally while forwarding the data toanother indexer.

2.5.2. Parsing

At block 306, an indexer receives data blocks from a forwarder andparses the data to organize the data into events. In an embodiment, toorganize the data into events, an indexer may determine a source typeassociated with each data block (e.g., by extracting a source type labelfrom the metadata fields associated with the data block, etc.) and referto a source type configuration corresponding to the identified sourcetype. The source type definition may include one or more properties thatindicate to the indexer to automatically determine the boundaries ofevents within the data. In general, these properties may include regularexpression-based rules or delimiter rules where, for example, eventboundaries may be indicated by predefined characters or characterstrings. These predefined characters may include punctuation marks orother special characters including, for example, carriage returns, tabs,spaces, line breaks, etc. If a source type for the data is unknown tothe indexer, an indexer may infer a source type for the data byexamining the structure of the data. Then, it can apply an inferredsource type definition to the data to create the events.

At block 308, the indexer determines a timestamp for each event. Similarto the process for creating events, an indexer may again refer to asource type definition associated with the data to locate one or moreproperties that indicate instructions for determining a timestamp foreach event. The properties may, for example, instruct an indexer toextract a time value from a portion of data in the event, to interpolatetime values based on timestamps associated with temporally proximateevents, to create a timestamp based on a time the event data wasreceived or generated, to use the timestamp of a previous event, or useany other rules for determining timestamps.

At block 310, the indexer associates with each event one or moremetadata fields including a field containing the timestamp (in someembodiments, a timestamp may be included in the metadata fields)determined for the event. These metadata fields may include a number of“default fields” that are associated with all events, and may alsoinclude one more custom fields as defined by a user. Similar to themetadata fields associated with the data blocks at block 304, thedefault metadata fields associated with each event may include a host,source, and source type field including or in addition to a fieldstoring the timestamp.

At block 312, an indexer may optionally apply one or moretransformations to data included in the events created at block 306. Forexample, such transformations can include removing a portion of an event(e.g., a portion used to define event boundaries, extraneous charactersfrom the event, other extraneous text, etc.), masking a portion of anevent (e.g., masking a credit card number), removing redundant portionsof an event, etc. The transformations applied to event data may, forexample, be specified in one or more configuration files and referencedby one or more source type definitions.

2.5.3. Indexing

At blocks 314 and 316, an indexer can optionally generate a keywordindex to facilitate fast keyword searching for event data. To build akeyword index, at block 314, the indexer identifies a set of keywords ineach event. At block 316, the indexer includes the identified keywordsin an index, which associates each stored keyword with referencepointers to events containing that keyword (or to locations withinevents where that keyword is located, other location identifiers, etc.).When an indexer subsequently receives a keyword-based query, the indexercan access the keyword index to quickly identify events containing thekeyword.

In some embodiments, the keyword index may include entries forname-value pairs found in events, where a name-value pair can include apair of keywords connected by a symbol, such as an equals sign or colon.This way, events containing these name-value pairs can be quicklylocated. In some embodiments, fields can automatically be generated forsome or all of the name-value pairs at the time of indexing. Forexample, if the string “dest=10.0.1.2” is found in an event, a fieldnamed “dest” may be created for the event, and assigned a value of“10.0.1.2”.

At block 318, the indexer stores the events with an associated timestampin a data store 208. Timestamps enable a user to search for events basedon a time range. In one embodiment, the stored events are organized into“buckets,” where each bucket stores events associated with a specifictime range based on the timestamps associated with each event. This maynot only improve time-based searching, but also allows for events withrecent timestamps, which may have a higher likelihood of being accessed,to be stored in a faster memory to facilitate faster retrieval. Forexample, buckets containing the most recent events can be stored inflash memory rather than on a hard disk.

Each indexer 206 may be responsible for storing and searching a subsetof the events contained in a corresponding data store 208. Bydistributing events among the indexers and data stores, the indexers cananalyze events for a query in parallel. For example, using map-reducetechniques, each indexer returns partial responses for a subset ofevents to a search head that combines the results to produce an answerfor the query. By storing events in buckets for specific time ranges, anindexer may further optimize data retrieval process by searching bucketscorresponding to time ranges that are relevant to a query.

Moreover, events and buckets can also be replicated across differentindexers and data stores to facilitate high availability and disasterrecovery as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/266,812,entitled “SITE-BASED SEARCH AFFINITY”, filed on 30 Apr. 2014, and inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/266,817, entitled “MULTI-SITECLUSTERING”, also filed on 30 Apr. 2014, each of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

2.6. Query Processing

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary process that asearch head and one or more indexers may perform during a search query.At block 402, a search head receives a search query from a client. Atblock 404, the search head analyzes the search query to determine whatportion(s) of the query can be delegated to indexers and what portionsof the query can be executed locally by the search head. At block 406,the search head distributes the determined portions of the query to theappropriate indexers. In an embodiment, a search head cluster may takethe place of an independent search head where each search head in thesearch head cluster coordinates with peer search heads in the searchhead cluster to schedule jobs, replicate search results, updateconfigurations, fulfill search requests, etc. In an embodiment, thesearch head (or each search head) communicates with a master node (alsoknown as a cluster master, not shown in FIG.) that provides the searchhead with a list of indexers to which the search head can distribute thedetermined portions of the query. The master node maintains a list ofactive indexers and can also designate which indexers may haveresponsibility for responding to queries over certain sets of events. Asearch head may communicate with the master node before the search headdistributes queries to indexers to discover the addresses of activeindexers.

At block 408, the indexers to which the query was distributed, searchdata stores associated with them for events that are responsive to thequery. To determine which events are responsive to the query, theindexer searches for events that match the criteria specified in thequery. These criteria can include matching keywords or specific valuesfor certain fields. The searching operations at block 408 may use thelate-binding schema to extract values for specified fields from eventsat the time the query is processed. In an embodiment, one or more rulesfor extracting field values may be specified as part of a source typedefinition. The indexers may then either send the relevant events backto the search head, or use the events to determine a partial result, andsend the partial result back to the search head.

At block 410, the search head combines the partial results and/or eventsreceived from the indexers to produce a final result for the query. Thisfinal result may comprise different types of data depending on what thequery requested. For example, the results can include a listing ofmatching events returned by the query, or some type of visualization ofthe data from the returned events. In another example, the final resultcan include one or more calculated values derived from the matchingevents.

The results generated by the system 108 can be returned to a clientusing different techniques. For example, one technique streams resultsor relevant events back to a client in real-time as they are identified.Another technique waits to report the results to the client until acomplete set of results (which may include a set of relevant events or aresult based on relevant events) is ready to return to the client. Yetanother technique streams interim results or relevant events back to theclient in real-time until a complete set of results is ready, and thenreturns the complete set of results to the client. In another technique,certain results are stored as “search jobs” and the client may retrievethe results by referring the search jobs.

The search head can also perform various operations to make the searchmore efficient. For example, before the search head begins execution ofa query, the search head can determine a time range for the query and aset of common keywords that all matching events include. The search headmay then use these parameters to query the indexers to obtain a supersetof the eventual results. Then, during a filtering stage, the search headcan perform field-extraction operations on the superset to produce areduced set of search results. This speeds up queries that are performedon a periodic basis.

2.7. Field Extraction

The search head 210 allows users to search and visualize event dataextracted from raw machine data received from homogenous data sources.It also allows users to search and visualize event data extracted fromraw machine data received from heterogeneous data sources. The searchhead 210 includes various mechanisms, which may additionally reside inan indexer 206, for processing a query. Splunk Processing Language(SPL), used in conjunction with the SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system, can beutilized to make a query. SPL is a pipelined search language in which aset of inputs is operated on by a first command in a command line, andthen a subsequent command following the pipe symbol “|” operates on theresults produced by the first command, and so on for additionalcommands. Other query languages, such as the Structured Query Language(“SQL”), can be used to create a query.

In response to receiving the search query, search head 210 usesextraction rules to extract values for the fields associated with afield or fields in the event data being searched. The search head 210obtains extraction rules that specify how to extract a value for certainfields from an event. Extraction rules can comprise regex rules thatspecify how to extract values for the relevant fields. In addition tospecifying how to extract field values, the extraction rules may alsoinclude instructions for deriving a field value by performing a functionon a character string or value retrieved by the extraction rule. Forexample, a transformation rule may truncate a character string, orconvert the character string into a different data format. In somecases, the query itself can specify one or more extraction rules.

The search head 210 can apply the extraction rules to event data that itreceives from indexers 206. Indexers 206 may apply the extraction rulesto events in an associated data store 208. Extraction rules can beapplied to all the events in a data store, or to a subset of the eventsthat have been filtered based on some criteria (e.g., event time stampvalues, etc.). Extraction rules can be used to extract one or morevalues for a field from events by parsing the event data and examiningthe event data for one or more patterns of characters, numbers,delimiters, etc., that indicate where the field begins and, optionally,ends.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of raw machine data received fromdisparate data sources. In this example, a user submits an order formerchandise using a vendor's shopping application program 501 running onthe user's system. In this example, the order was not delivered to thevendor's server due to a resource exception at the destination serverthat is detected by the middleware code 502. The user then sends amessage to the customer support 503 to complain about the order failingto complete. The three systems 501, 502, and 503 are disparate systemsthat do not have a common logging format. The order application 501sends log data 504 to the SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system in one format, themiddleware code 502 sends error log data 505 in a second format, and thesupport server 503 sends log data 506 in a third format.

Using the log data received at one or more indexers 206 from the threesystems the vendor can uniquely obtain an insight into user activity,user experience, and system behavior. The search head 210 allows thevendor's administrator to search the log data from the three systemsthat one or more indexers 206 are responsible for searching, therebyobtaining correlated information, such as the order number andcorresponding customer ID number of the person placing the order. Thesystem also allows the administrator to see a visualization of relatedevents via a user interface. The administrator can query the search head210 for customer ID field value matches across the log data from thethree systems that are stored at the one or more indexers 206. Thecustomer ID field value exists in the data gathered from the threesystems, but the customer ID field value may be located in differentareas of the data given differences in the architecture of thesystems—there is a semantic relationship between the customer ID fieldvalues generated by the three systems. The search head 210 requestsevent data from the one or more indexers 206 to gather relevant eventdata from the three systems. It then applies extraction rules to theevent data in order to extract field values that it can correlate. Thesearch head may apply a different extraction rule to each set of eventsfrom each system when the event data format differs among systems. Inthis example, the user interface can display to the administrator theevent data corresponding to the common customer ID field values 507,508, and 509, thereby providing the administrator with insight into acustomer's experience.

Note that query results can be returned to a client, a search head, orany other system component for further processing. In general, queryresults may include a set of one or more events, a set of one or morevalues obtained from the events, a subset of the values, statisticscalculated based on the values, a report containing the values, or avisualization, such as a graph or chart, generated from the values.

2.8. Example Search Screen

FIG. 6A illustrates an example search screen 600 in accordance with thedisclosed embodiments. Search screen 600 includes a search bar 602 thataccepts user input in the form of a search string. It also includes atime range picker 612 that enables the user to specify a time range forthe search. For “historical searches” the user can select a specifictime range, or alternatively a relative time range, such as “today,”“yesterday” or “last week.” For “real-time searches,” the user canselect the size of a preceding time window to search for real-timeevents. Search screen 600 also initially displays a “data summary”dialog as is illustrated in FIG. 6B that enables the user to selectdifferent sources for the event data, such as by selecting specifichosts and log files.

After the search is executed, the search screen 600 in FIG. 6A candisplay the results through search results tabs 604, wherein searchresults tabs 604 includes: an “events tab” that displays variousinformation about events returned by the search; a “statistics tab” thatdisplays statistics about the search results; and a “visualization tab”that displays various visualizations of the search results. The eventstab illustrated in FIG. 6A displays a timeline graph 605 thatgraphically illustrates the number of events that occurred in one-hourintervals over the selected time range. It also displays an events list608 that enables a user to view the raw data in each of the returnedevents. It additionally displays a fields sidebar 606 that includesstatistics about occurrences of specific fields in the returned events,including “selected fields” that are pre-selected by the user, and“interesting fields” that are automatically selected by the system basedon pre-specified criteria.

2.9. Data Models

A data model is a hierarchically structured search-time mapping ofsemantic knowledge about one or more datasets. It encodes the domainknowledge necessary to build a variety of specialized searches of thosedatasets. Those searches, in turn, can be used to generate reports.

A data model is composed of one or more “objects” (or “data modelobjects”) that define or otherwise correspond to a specific set of data.

Objects in data models can be arranged hierarchically in parent/childrelationships. Each child object represents a subset of the datasetcovered by its parent object. The top-level objects in data models arecollectively referred to as “root objects.”

Child objects have inheritance. Data model objects are defined bycharacteristics that mostly break down into constraints and attributes.Child objects inherit constraints and attributes from their parentobjects and have additional constraints and attributes of their own.Child objects provide a way of filtering events from parent objects.Because a child object always provides an additional constraint inaddition to the constraints it has inherited from its parent object, thedataset it represents is always a subset of the dataset that its parentrepresents.

For example, a first data model object may define a broad set of datapertaining to e-mail activity generally, and another data model objectmay define specific datasets within the broad dataset, such as a subsetof the e-mail data pertaining specifically to e-mails sent. Examples ofdata models can include electronic mail, authentication, databases,intrusion detection, malware, application state, alerts, computeinventory, network sessions, network traffic, performance, audits,updates, vulnerabilities, etc. Data models and their objects can bedesigned by knowledge managers in an organization, and they can enabledownstream users to quickly focus on a specific set of data. Forexample, a user can simply select an “e-mail activity” data model objectto access a dataset relating to e-mails generally (e.g., sent orreceived), or select an “e-mails sent” data model object (or datasub-model object) to access a dataset relating to e-mails sent.

A data model object may be defined by (1) a set of search constraints,and (2) a set of fields. Thus, a data model object can be used toquickly search data to identify a set of events and to identify a set offields to be associated with the set of events. For example, an “e-mailssent” data model object may specify a search for events relating toe-mails that have been sent, and specify a set of fields that areassociated with the events. Thus, a user can retrieve and use the“e-mails sent” data model object to quickly search source data forevents relating to sent e-mails, and may be provided with a listing ofthe set of fields relevant to the events in a user interface screen.

A child of the parent data model may be defined by a search (typically anarrower search) that produces a subset of the events that would beproduced by the parent data model's search. The child's set of fieldscan include a subset of the set of fields of the parent data modeland/or additional fields. Data model objects that reference the subsetscan be arranged in a hierarchical manner, so that child subsets ofevents are proper subsets of their parents. A user iteratively applies amodel development tool (not shown in FIG.) to prepare a query thatdefines a subset of events and assigns an object name to that subset. Achild subset is created by further limiting a query that generated aparent subset. A late-binding schema of field extraction rules isassociated with each object or subset in the data model.

Data definitions in associated schemas can be taken from the commoninformation model (CIM) or can be devised for a particular schema andoptionally added to the CIM. Child objects inherit fields from parentsand can include fields not present in parents. A model developer canselect fewer extraction rules than are available for the sourcesreturned by the query that defines events belonging to a model.Selecting a limited set of extraction rules can be a tool forsimplifying and focusing the data model, while allowing a userflexibility to explore the data subset. Development of a data model isfurther explained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,788,525 and 8,788,526, bothentitled “DATA MODEL FOR MACHINE DATA FOR SEMANTIC SEARCH”, both issuedon 22 Jul. 2014, U.S. Pat. No. 8,983,994, entitled “GENERATION OF A DATAMODEL FOR SEARCHING MACHINE DATA”, issued on 17 Mar. 2015, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/611,232, entitled “GENERATION OF A DATA MODELAPPLIED TO QUERIES”, filed on 31 Jan. 2015, and U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/815,884, entitled “GENERATION OF A DATA MODEL APPLIED TOOBJECT QUERIES”, filed on 31 Jul. 2015, each of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. See, also,Knowledge Manager Manual, Build a Data Model, Splunk Enterprise 6.1.3pp. 150-204 (Aug. 25, 2014).

A data model can also include reports. One or more report formats can beassociated with a particular data model and be made available to runagainst the data model. A user can use child objects to design reportswith object datasets that already have extraneous data pre-filtered out.In an embodiment, the data intake and query system 108 provides the userwith the ability to produce reports (e.g., a table, chart,visualization, etc.) without having to enter SPL, SQL, or other querylanguage terms into a search screen. Data models are used as the basisfor the search feature.

Data models may be selected in a report generation interface. The reportgenerator supports drag-and-drop organization of fields to be summarizedin a report. When a model is selected, the fields with availableextraction rules are made available for use in the report. The user mayrefine and/or filter search results to produce more precise reports. Theuser may select some fields for organizing the report and select otherfields for providing detail according to the report organization. Forexample, “region” and “salesperson” are fields used for organizing thereport and sales data can be summarized (subtotaled and totaled) withinthis organization. The report generator allows the user to specify oneor more fields within events and apply statistical analysis on valuesextracted from the specified one or more fields. The report generatormay aggregate search results across sets of events and generatestatistics based on aggregated search results. Building reports usingthe report generation interface is further explained in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/503,335, entitled “GENERATING REPORTS FROMUNSTRUCTURED DATA”, filed on 30 Sep. 2014, and published as US PatentApplication Publication 2015-0019537A1 on Jan. 15, 2015, and which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes, andin Pivot Manual, Splunk Enterprise 6.1.3 (Aug. 4, 2014). Datavisualizations also can be generated in a variety of formats, byreference to the data model. Reports, data visualizations, and datamodel objects can be saved and associated with the data model for futureuse. The data model object may be used to perform searches of otherdata.

2.10. Acceleration Technique

The above-described system provides significant flexibility by enablinga user to analyze massive quantities of minimally processed data “on thefly” at search time instead of storing pre-specified portions of thedata in a database at ingestion time. This flexibility enables a user tosee valuable insights, correlate data, and perform subsequent queries toexamine interesting aspects of the data that may not have been apparentat ingestion time.

However, performing extraction and analysis operations at search timecan involve a large amount of data and require a large number ofcomputational operations, which can cause delays in processing thequeries. Advantageously, SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE system employs a number ofunique acceleration techniques that have been developed to speed upanalysis operations performed at search time. These techniques include:(1) performing search operations in parallel across multiple indexers;(2) using a keyword index; (3) using a high performance analytics store;and (4) accelerating the process of generating reports. These noveltechniques are described in more detail below.

2.10.1. Aggregation Technique

To facilitate faster query processing, a query can be structured suchthat multiple indexers perform the query in parallel, while aggregationof search results from the multiple indexers is performed locally at thesearch head. For example, FIG. 7 illustrates how a search query 802received from a client at a search head 210 can split into two phases,including: (1) subtasks 804 (e.g., data retrieval or simple filtering)that may be performed in parallel by indexers 206 for execution, and (2)a search results aggregation operation 806 to be executed by the searchhead when the results are ultimately collected from the indexers.

During operation, upon receiving search query 802, a search head 210determines that a portion of the operations involved with the searchquery may be performed locally by the search head. The search headmodifies search query 802 by substituting “stats” (create aggregatestatistics over results sets received from the indexers at the searchhead) with “prestats” (create statistics by the indexer from localresults set) to produce search query 804, and then distributes searchquery 804 to distributed indexers, which are also referred to as “searchpeers.” Note that search queries may generally specify search criteriaor operations to be performed on events that meet the search criteria.Search queries may also specify field names, as well as search criteriafor the values in the fields or operations to be performed on the valuesin the fields. Moreover, the search head may distribute the full searchquery to the search peers as illustrated in FIG. 4 , or mayalternatively distribute a modified version (e.g., a more restrictedversion) of the search query to the search peers. In this example, theindexers are responsible for producing the results and sending them tothe search head. After the indexers return the results to the searchhead, the search head aggregates the received results 806 to form asingle search result set. By executing the query in this manner, thesystem effectively distributes the computational operations across theindexers while minimizing data transfers.

2.10.2. Keyword Index

As described above with reference to the flow charts in FIG. 3 and FIG.4 , data intake and query system 108 can construct and maintain one ormore keyword indices to quickly identify events containing specifickeywords. This technique can greatly speed up the processing of queriesinvolving specific keywords. As mentioned above, to build a keywordindex, an indexer first identifies a set of keywords. Then, the indexerincludes the identified keywords in an index, which associates eachstored keyword with references to events containing that keyword, or tolocations within events where that keyword is located. When an indexersubsequently receives a keyword-based query, the indexer can access thekeyword index to quickly identify events containing the keyword.

2.10.3. High Performance Analytics Store

To speed up certain types of queries, some embodiments of system 108create a high performance analytics store, which is referred to as a“summarization table,” that contains entries for specific field-valuepairs. Each of these entries keeps track of instances of a specificvalue in a specific field in the event data and includes references toevents containing the specific value in the specific field. For example,an example entry in a summarization table can keep track of occurrencesof the value “94107” in a “ZIP code” field of a set of events and theentry includes references to all of the events that contain the value“94107” in the ZIP code field. This optimization technique enables thesystem to quickly process queries that seek to determine how many eventshave a particular value for a particular field. To this end, the systemcan examine the entry in the summarization table to count instances ofthe specific value in the field without having to go through theindividual events or perform data extractions at search time. Also, ifthe system needs to process all events that have a specific field-valuecombination, the system can use the references in the summarizationtable entry to directly access the events to extract further informationwithout having to search all of the events to find the specificfield-value combination at search time.

In some embodiments, the system maintains a separate summarization tablefor each of the above-described time-specific buckets that stores eventsfor a specific time range. A bucket-specific summarization tableincludes entries for specific field-value combinations that occur inevents in the specific bucket. Alternatively, the system can maintain aseparate summarization table for each indexer. The indexer-specificsummarization table includes entries for the events in a data store thatare managed by the specific indexer. Indexer-specific summarizationtables may also be bucket-specific.

The summarization table can be populated by running a periodic querythat scans a set of events to find instances of a specific field-valuecombination, or alternatively instances of all field-value combinationsfor a specific field. A periodic query can be initiated by a user, orcan be scheduled to occur automatically at specific time intervals. Aperiodic query can also be automatically launched in response to a querythat asks for a specific field-value combination.

In some cases, when the summarization tables may not cover all of theevents that are relevant to a query, the system can use thesummarization tables to obtain partial results for the events that arecovered by summarization tables, but may also have to search throughother events that are not covered by the summarization tables to produceadditional results. These additional results can then be combined withthe partial results to produce a final set of results for the query. Thesummarization table and associated techniques are described in moredetail in U.S. Pat. No. 8,682,925, entitled “DISTRIBUTED HIGHPERFORMANCE ANALYTICS STORE”, issued on 25 Mar. 2014, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/170,159, entitled “SUPPLEMENTING A HIGHPERFORMANCE ANALYTICS STORE WITH EVALUATION OF INDIVIDUAL EVENTS TORESPOND TO AN EVENT QUERY”, filed on 31 Jan. 2014 and issued as U.S.Pat. No. 9,128,985 on Sep. 8, 2015, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/815,973, entitled “STORAGE MEDIUM AND CONTROL DEVICE”, filed on 21Feb. 2014, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

2.10.4. Accelerating Report Generation

In some embodiments, a data server system such as the SPLUNK® ENTERPRISEsystem can accelerate the process of periodically generating updatedreports based on query results. To accelerate this process, asummarization engine automatically examines the query to determinewhether generation of updated reports can be accelerated by creatingintermediate summaries. If reports can be accelerated, the summarizationengine periodically generates a summary covering data obtained during alatest non-overlapping time period. For example, where the query seeksevents meeting a specified criteria, a summary for the time periodincludes only events within the time period that meet the specifiedcriteria. Similarly, if the query seeks statistics calculated from theevents, such as the number of events that match the specified criteria,then the summary for the time period includes the number of events inthe period that match the specified criteria.

In addition to the creation of the summaries, the summarization engineschedules the periodic updating of the report associated with the query.During each scheduled report update, the query engine determines whetherintermediate summaries have been generated covering portions of the timeperiod covered by the report update. If so, then the report is generatedbased on the information contained in the summaries. Also, if additionalevent data has been received and has not yet been summarized, and isrequired to generate the complete report, the query can be run on thisadditional event data. Then, the results returned by this query on theadditional event data, along with the partial results obtained from theintermediate summaries, can be combined to generate the updated report.This process is repeated each time the report is updated. Alternatively,if the system stores events in buckets covering specific time ranges,then the summaries can be generated on a bucket-by-bucket basis. Notethat producing intermediate summaries can save the work involved inre-running the query for previous time periods, so advantageously onlythe newer event data needs to be processed while generating an updatedreport. These report acceleration techniques are described in moredetail in U.S. Pat. No. 8,589,403, entitled “COMPRESSED JOURNALING INEVENT TRACKING FILES FOR METADATA RECOVERY AND REPLICATION”, issued on19 Nov. 2013, U.S. Pat. No. 8,412,696, entitled “REAL TIME SEARCHING ANDREPORTING”, issued on 2 Apr. 2011, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,589,375 and8,589,432, both also entitled “REAL TIME SEARCHING AND REPORTING”, bothissued on 19 Nov. 2013, each of which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

2.13. Cloud-Based System Overview

The example data intake and query system 108 described in reference toFIG. 2 comprises several system components, including one or moreforwarders, indexers, and search heads. In some environments, a user ofa data intake and query system 108 may install and configure, oncomputing devices owned and operated by the user, one or more softwareapplications that implement some or all of these system components. Forexample, a user may install a software application on server computersowned by the user and configure each server to operate as one or more ofa forwarder, an indexer, a search head, etc. This arrangement generallymay be referred to as an “on-premises” solution. That is, the system 108is installed and operates on computing devices directly controlled bythe user of the system. Some users may prefer an on-premises solutionbecause it may provide a greater level of control over the configurationof certain aspects of the system (e.g., security, privacy, standards,controls, etc.). However, other users may instead prefer an arrangementin which the user is not directly responsible for providing and managingthe computing devices upon which various components of system 108operate.

In one embodiment, to provide an alternative to an entirely on-premisesenvironment for system 108, one or more of the components of a dataintake and query system instead may be provided as a cloud-basedservice. In this context, a cloud-based service refers to a servicehosted by one more computing resources that are accessible to end usersover a network, for example, by using a web browser or other applicationon a client device to interface with the remote computing resources. Forexample, a service provider may provide a cloud-based data intake andquery system by managing computing resources configured to implementvarious aspects of the system (e.g., forwarders, indexers, search heads,etc.) and by providing access to the system to end users via a network.Typically, a user may pay a subscription or other fee to use such aservice. Each subscribing user of the cloud-based service may beprovided with an account that enables the user to configure a customizedcloud-based system based on the user's preferences.

FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of an example cloud-based data intakeand query system. Similar to the system of FIG. 2 , the networkedcomputer system 1000 includes input data sources 202 and forwarders 204.These input data sources and forwarders may be in a subscriber's privatecomputing environment. Alternatively, they might be directly managed bythe service provider as part of the cloud service. In the example system1000, one or more forwarders 204 and client devices 1002 are coupled toa cloud-based data intake and query system 1006 via one or more networks1004. Network 1004 broadly represents one or more LANs, WANs, cellularnetworks, intranetworks, internetworks, etc., using any of wired,wireless, terrestrial microwave, satellite links, etc., and may includethe public Internet, and is used by client devices 1002 and forwarders204 to access the system 1006. Similar to the system of 108, each of theforwarders 204 may be configured to receive data from an input sourceand to forward the data to other components of the system 1006 forfurther processing.

In an embodiment, a cloud-based data intake and query system 1006 maycomprise a plurality of system instances 1008. In general, each systeminstance 1008 may include one or more computing resources managed by aprovider of the cloud-based system 1006 made available to a particularsubscriber. The computing resources comprising a system instance 1008may, for example, include one or more servers or other devicesconfigured to implement one or more forwarders, indexers, search heads,and other components of a data intake and query system, similar tosystem 108. As indicated above, a subscriber may use a web browser orother application of a client device 1002 to access a web portal orother interface that enables the subscriber to configure an instance1008.

Providing a data intake and query system as described in reference tosystem 108 as a cloud-based service presents a number of challenges.Each of the components of a system 108 (e.g., forwarders, indexers andsearch heads) may at times refer to various configuration files storedlocally at each component. These configuration files typically mayinvolve some level of user configuration to accommodate particular typesof data a user desires to analyze and to account for other userpreferences. However, in a cloud-based service context, users typicallymay not have direct access to the underlying computing resourcesimplementing the various system components (e.g., the computingresources comprising each system instance 1008) and may desire to makesuch configurations indirectly, for example, using one or more web-basedinterfaces. Thus, the techniques and systems described herein forproviding user interfaces that enable a user to configure source typedefinitions are applicable to both on-premises and cloud-based servicecontexts, or some combination thereof (e.g., a hybrid system where bothan on-premises environment such as SPLUNK® ENTERPRISE and a cloud-basedenvironment such as SPLUNK CLOUD™ are centrally visible).

2.14. Searching Externally Archived Data

FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of an example of a data intake and querysystem 108 that provides transparent search facilities for data systemsthat are external to the data intake and query system. Such facilitiesare available in the HUNK® system provided by Splunk Inc. of SanFrancisco, Calif. HUNK® represents an analytics platform that enablesbusiness and IT teams to rapidly explore, analyze, and visualize data inHadoop and NoSQL data stores.

The search head 210 of the data intake and query system receives searchrequests from one or more client devices 1104 over network connections1120. As discussed above, the data intake and query system 108 mayreside in an enterprise location, in the cloud, etc. FIG. 9 illustratesthat multiple client devices 1104 a, 1104 b, . . . , 1104 n maycommunicate with the data intake and query system 108. The clientdevices 1104 may communicate with the data intake and query system usinga variety of connections. For example, one client device in FIG. 9 isillustrated as communicating over an Internet (Web) protocol, anotherclient device is illustrated as communicating via a command lineinterface, and another client device is illustrated as communicating viaa system developer kit (SDK).

The search head 210 analyzes the received search request to identifyrequest parameters. If a search request received from one of the clientdevices 1104 references an index maintained by the data intake and querysystem, then the search head 210 connects to one or more indexers 206 ofthe data intake and query system for the index referenced in the requestparameters. That is, if the request parameters of the search requestreference an index, then the search head accesses the data in the indexvia the indexer. The data intake and query system 108 may include one ormore indexers 206, depending on system access resources andrequirements. As described further below, the indexers 206 retrieve datafrom their respective local data stores 208 as specified in the searchrequest. The indexers and their respective data stores can comprise oneor more storage devices and typically reside on the same system, thoughthey may be connected via a local network connection.

If the request parameters of the received search request reference anexternal data collection, which is not accessible to the indexers 206 orunder the management of the data intake and query system, then thesearch head 210 can access the external data collection through anExternal Result Provider (ERP) process 1110. An external data collectionmay be referred to as a “virtual index” (plural, “virtual indices”). AnERP process provides an interface through which the search head 210 mayaccess virtual indices.

Thus, a search reference to an index of the system relates to a locallystored and managed data collection. In contrast, a search reference to avirtual index relates to an externally stored and managed datacollection, which the search head may access through one or more ERPprocesses 1110, 1112. FIG. 9 shows two ERP processes 1110, 1112 thatconnect to respective remote (external) virtual indices, which areindicated as a Hadoop or another system 1114 (e.g., Amazon S3, AmazonEMR, other Hadoop Compatible File Systems (HCFS), etc.) and a relationaldatabase management system (RDBMS) 1116. Other virtual indices mayinclude other file organizations and protocols, such as Structured QueryLanguage (SQL) and the like. The ellipses between the ERP processes1110, 1112 indicate optional additional ERP processes of the data intakeand query system 108. An ERP process may be a computer process that isinitiated or spawned by the search head 210 and is executed by thesearch data intake and query system 108. Alternatively or additionally,an ERP process may be a process spawned by the search head 210 on thesame or different host system as the search head 210 resides.

The search head 210 may spawn a single ERP process in response tomultiple virtual indices referenced in a search request, or the searchhead may spawn different ERP processes for different virtual indices.Generally, virtual indices that share common data configurations orprotocols may share ERP processes. For example, all search queryreferences to a Hadoop file system may be processed by the same ERPprocess, if the ERP process is suitably configured. Likewise, all searchquery references to an SQL database may be processed by the same ERPprocess. In addition, the search head may provide a common ERP processfor common external data source types (e.g., a common vendor may utilizea common ERP process, even if the vendor includes different data storagesystem types, such as Hadoop and SQL). Common indexing schemes also maybe handled by common ERP processes, such as flat text files or Weblogfiles.

The search head 210 determines the number of ERP processes to beinitiated via the use of configuration parameters that are included in asearch request message. Generally, there is a one-to-many relationshipbetween an external results provider “family” and ERP processes. Thereis also a one-to-many relationship between an ERP process andcorresponding virtual indices that are referred to in a search request.For example, using RDBMS, assume two independent instances of such asystem by one vendor, such as one RDBMS for production and another RDBMSused for development. In such a situation, it is likely preferable (butoptional) to use two ERP processes to maintain the independent operationas between production and development data. Both of the ERPs, however,will belong to the same family, because the two RDBMS system types arefrom the same vendor.

The ERP processes 1110, 1112 receive a search request from the searchhead 210. The search head may optimize the received search request forexecution at the respective external virtual index. Alternatively, theERP process may receive a search request as a result of analysisperformed by the search head or by a different system process. The ERPprocesses 1110, 1112 can communicate with the search head 210 viaconventional input/output routines (e.g., standard in/standard out,etc.). In this way, the ERP process receives the search request from aclient device such that the search request may be efficiently executedat the corresponding external virtual index.

The ERP processes 1110, 1112 may be implemented as a process of the dataintake and query system. Each ERP process may be provided by the dataintake and query system, or may be provided by process or applicationproviders who are independent of the data intake and query system. Eachrespective ERP process may include an interface application installed ata computer of the external result provider that ensures propercommunication between the search support system and the external resultprovider. The ERP processes 1110, 1112 generate appropriate searchrequests in the protocol and syntax of the respective virtual indices1114, 1116, each of which corresponds to the search request received bythe search head 210. Upon receiving search results from theircorresponding virtual indices, the respective ERP process passes theresult to the search head 210, which may return or display the resultsor a processed set of results based on the returned results to therespective client device.

Client devices 1104 may communicate with the data intake and querysystem 108 through a network interface 1120, e.g., one or more LANs,WANs, cellular networks, intranetworks, and/or internetworks using anyof wired, wireless, terrestrial microwave, satellite links, etc., andmay include the public Internet.

The analytics platform utilizing the External Result Provider processdescribed in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 8,738,629, entitled “EXTERNALRESULT PROVIDED PROCESS FOR RETRIEVING DATA STORED USING A DIFFERENTCONFIGURATION OR PROTOCOL”, issued on 27 May 2014, U.S. Pat. No.8,738,587, entitled “PROCESSING A SYSTEM SEARCH REQUEST BY RETRIEVINGRESULTS FROM BOTH A NATIVE INDEX AND A VIRTUAL INDEX”, issued on 25 Jul.2013, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/266,832, entitled “PROCESSINGA SYSTEM SEARCH REQUEST ACROSS DISPARATE DATA COLLECTION SYSTEMS”, filedon 1 May 2014, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/449,144, entitled“PROCESSING A SYSTEM SEARCH REQUEST INCLUDING EXTERNAL DATA SOURCES”,filed on 31 Jul. 2014, each of which is hereby incorporated by referencein its entirety for all purposes.

2.14.1. ERP Process Features

The ERP processes described above may include two operation modes: astreaming mode and a reporting mode. The ERP processes can operate instreaming mode only, in reporting mode only, or in both modessimultaneously. Operating in both modes simultaneously is referred to asmixed mode operation. In a mixed mode operation, the ERP at some pointcan stop providing the search head with streaming results and onlyprovide reporting results thereafter, or the search head at some pointmay start ignoring streaming results it has been using and only usereporting results thereafter.

The streaming mode returns search results in real time, with minimalprocessing, in response to the search request. The reporting modeprovides results of a search request with processing of the searchresults prior to providing them to the requesting search head, which inturn provides results to the requesting client device. ERP operationwith such multiple modes provides greater performance flexibility withregard to report time, search latency, and resource utilization.

In a mixed mode operation, both streaming mode and reporting mode areoperating simultaneously. The streaming mode results (e.g., the raw dataobtained from the external data source) are provided to the search head,which can then process the results data (e.g., break the raw data intoevents, timestamp it, filter it, etc.) and integrate the results datawith the results data from other external data sources, and/or from datastores of the search head. The search head performs such processing andcan immediately start returning interim (streaming mode) results to theuser at the requesting client device; simultaneously, the search head iswaiting for the ERP process to process the data it is retrieving fromthe external data source as a result of the concurrently executingreporting mode.

In some instances, the ERP process initially operates in a mixed mode,such that the streaming mode operates to enable the ERP quickly toreturn interim results (e.g., some of the raw or unprocessed datanecessary to respond to a search request) to the search head, enablingthe search head to process the interim results and begin providing tothe client or search requester interim results that are responsive tothe query. Meanwhile, in this mixed mode, the ERP also operatesconcurrently in reporting mode, processing portions of raw data in amanner responsive to the search query. Upon determining that it hasresults from the reporting mode available to return to the search head,the ERP may halt processing in the mixed mode at that time (or somelater time) by stopping the return of data in streaming mode to thesearch head and switching to reporting mode only. The ERP at this pointstarts sending interim results in reporting mode to the search head,which in turn may then present this processed data responsive to thesearch request to the client or search requester. Typically the searchhead switches from using results from the ERP's streaming mode ofoperation to results from the ERP's reporting mode of operation when thehigher bandwidth results from the reporting mode outstrip the amount ofdata processed by the search head in the] streaming mode of ERPoperation.

A reporting mode may have a higher bandwidth because the ERP does nothave to spend time transferring data to the search head for processingall the raw data. In addition, the ERP may optionally direct anotherprocessor to do the processing.

The streaming mode of operation does not need to be stopped to gain thehigher bandwidth benefits of a reporting mode; the search head couldsimply stop using the streaming mode results—and start using thereporting mode results—when the bandwidth of the reporting mode hascaught up with or exceeded the amount of bandwidth provided by thestreaming mode. Thus, a variety of triggers and ways to accomplish asearch head's switch from using streaming mode results to usingreporting mode results may be appreciated by one skilled in the art.

The reporting mode can involve the ERP process (or an external system)performing event breaking, time stamping, filtering of events to matchthe search query request, and calculating statistics on the results. Theuser can request particular types of data, such as if the search queryitself involves types of events, or the search request may ask forstatistics on data, such as on events that meet the search request. Ineither case, the search head understands the query language used in thereceived query request, which may be a proprietary language. Oneexemplary query language is Splunk Processing Language (SPL) developedby the assignee of the application, Splunk Inc. The search headtypically understands how to use that language to obtain data from theindexers, which store data in a format used by the SPLUNK® Enterprisesystem.

The ERP processes support the search head, as the search head is notordinarily configured to understand the format in which data is storedin external data sources such as Hadoop or SQL data systems. Rather, theERP process performs that translation from the query submitted in thesearch support system's native format (e.g., SPL if SPLUNK® ENTERPRISEis used as the search support system) to a search query request formatthat will be accepted by the corresponding external data system. Theexternal data system typically stores data in a different format fromthat of the search support system's native index format, and it utilizesa different query language (e.g., SQL or MapReduce, rather than SPL orthe like).

As noted, the ERP process can operate in the streaming mode alone. Afterthe ERP process has performed the translation of the query request andreceived raw results from the streaming mode, the search head canintegrate the returned data with any data obtained from local datasources (e.g., native to the search support system), other external datasources, and other ERP processes (if such operations were required tosatisfy the terms of the search query). An advantage of mixed modeoperation is that, in addition to streaming mode, the ERP process isalso executing concurrently in reporting mode. Thus, the ERP process(rather than the search head) is processing query results (e.g.,performing event breaking, timestamping, filtering, possibly calculatingstatistics if required to be responsive to the search query request,etc.). It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that additionaltime is needed for the ERP process to perform the processing in such aconfiguration. Therefore, the streaming mode will allow the search headto start returning interim results to the user at the client devicebefore the ERP process can complete sufficient processing to startreturning any search results. The switchover between streaming andreporting mode happens when the ERP process determines that theswitchover is appropriate, such as when the ERP process determines itcan begin returning meaningful results from its reporting mode.

The operation described above illustrates the source of operationallatency: streaming mode has low latency (immediate results) and usuallyhas relatively low bandwidth (fewer results can be returned per unit oftime). In contrast, the concurrently running reporting mode hasrelatively high latency (it has to perform a lot more processing beforereturning any results) and usually has relatively high bandwidth (moreresults can be processed per unit of time). For example, when the ERPprocess does begin returning report results, it returns more processedresults than in the streaming mode, because, e.g., statistics only needto be calculated to be responsive to the search request. That is, theERP process doesn't have to take time to first return raw data to thesearch head. As noted, the ERP process could be configured to operate instreaming mode alone and return just the raw data for the search head toprocess in a way that is responsive to the search request.Alternatively, the ERP process can be configured to operate in thereporting mode only. Also, the ERP process can be configured to operatein streaming mode and reporting mode concurrently, as described, withthe ERP process stopping the transmission of streaming results to thesearch head when the concurrently running reporting mode has caught upand started providing results. The reporting mode does not require theprocessing of all raw data that is responsive to the search queryrequest before the ERP process starts returning results; rather, thereporting mode usually performs processing of chunks of events andreturns the processing results to the search head for each chunk.

For example, an ERP process can be configured to merely return thecontents of a search result file verbatim, with little or no processingof results. That way, the search head performs all processing (such asparsing byte streams into events, filtering, etc.). The ERP process canbe configured to perform additional intelligence, such as analyzing thesearch request and handling all the computation that a native searchindexer process would otherwise perform. In this way, the configured ERPprocess provides greater flexibility in features while operatingaccording to desired preferences, such as response latency and resourcerequirements.

3. Asset Hierarchy Monitoring and Reporting System

Aspects of embodiments heretofore described may be advantageouslyimplemented with subject matter next discussed to provide novelembodiments related to the monitoring and reporting for an assethierarchy. Inventive subject matter will become manifest through thedescription and discussion of an asset hierarchy monitoring andreporting system. The disclosed system operates automatically toreceive, collect, or ingest computer readable data as might the relevantto one or more assets in the asset hierarchy, and operates automaticallyto perform processes or methods that operate against the data to provideeffective monitoring and reporting for the asset hierarchy. Thedisclosed system has its operation controlled by certain command,control, and configuration (CCC) information, in computer storage. Thedisclosed system may implement a control console function to enable asystem user or administrator to create, view, and edit CCC informationas necessary to determine the operation of the asset hierarchymonitoring and reporting system (AMRS).

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiments, collections of dataaccessible via a DIQ are queried via a control console interface withresults reported to the user. The user may interactively optimize thesearch and classify certain information in the results. Using theoptimized query and information classifications, command consolefunctions can proceed to automatically construct an asset hierarchythat, as part of the CCC information, may determine future assethierarchy monitoring and reporting operations. This computer aided andimplemented bottom-up construction of an asset hierarchy from volumes ofdata as may be extant in a DIQ system represents a vast improvement overan asset monitoring system implementation that requires manualdetermination of an asset hierarchy in a top-down approach, perhapsthrough laborious ETL (extract/transform/load) efforts, schemadevelopments, and the like. Actual machine data reflecting the real-lifeasset hierarchy is harvested to derive the asset hierarchy definitionfor monitoring and reporting operations moving forward rather thanrequiring the administrative definition of asset hierarchy constructs towhich relevant data can then be associated if the constructs are correctand the data conforms.

3.1 System Overview

FIG. 10 illustrates an asset hierarchy monitoring and reporting systemdeployment in one embodiment. Block diagram 2100 includes assets andasset data generators 2110, secondary systems 2112, intermediary datasystem 2114, intermediary data store 2116, data intake and query system(DIQ) 2120, asset monitoring and reporting system (AMRS) 2140, and userinterface apparatus 2105. DIQ 2120 is shown further to include eventdata store 2122, metrics data store 2124, command, control, andconfiguration (CCC) data store 2132 (independently or shared with AMRS2140), and CCC console processor 2134 (independently or shared with AMRS2140). AMRS 2140 is shown further to include command, control, andconfiguration (CCC) data store 2132 (independently or shared with DIQ2120), CCC console processor 2134 (independently or shared with DIQ2120), monitor/reporter processor 2142, and asset hierarchy information2150 shown to be included within its CCC data store 2132.

Assets and asset data generators 2110 may include real-world physicalassets for which monitoring and/or reporting are desired. Examples mayinclude active and passive items, structures, machinery, components,devices, parts, assemblies, and interconnections therefore, as may beutilized for an oil drilling platform, a transmission pipeline, afactory or assembly line, an electrical generation facility (e.g., awindmill farm, hydroelectric plant, or nuclear generation facility), anelectrical transmission facility or grid, a sensor deployment (e.g.,seismographic stations, weather stations, oceanographic sensor buoys,GPS trackers), a satellite network, a chemical processing lab orfacility, a distribution of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, a vehicle,a hospital, a region, or a person, to name but a few examples. An assetmay generate data about itself or about another asset, implicitly orexplicitly, as part of its principal operation and functioning, or aspart of built-in monitoring and diagnostic capabilities. An asset may bea discrete asset, such as a temperature probe or other sensor, or may bea collection of other assets and/or other collections of assets, such asa distribution pipeline asset which is made up of multiple regionaldistribution segments, which are each made up of many pipes, valves,pumps, sensors, and so on, and the like. In terms of asset monitoringand reporting, an asset may also be an information asset, such as asingle endpoint reading from a set of multiple different readingsproduced by a single sensor device. While many types of assets arepossible, the assets and asset data generators 2110 in a particularembodiment, implementation, application, installation, or instance, mayinclude the assets that commonly belong to a system or domain to bemonitored, such as a nationwide common carrier fleet, one or more of acompany's manufacturing plants, an early warning sensor network, or amunicipality's sewer treatment and water filtration plant. Informationproduced by or about assets may be communicated directly or indirectlyvia some arrangement or combination of data polling, receiving,consolidating, concentrating, integrating, collecting, forwarding,filtering, and processing devices, and the like, such as a processcontrol computer at a manufacturing plant, which may itself be an asset;and producing asset information by such devices may simply involve thepresentation or transmission of asset information without creating ororiginally generating it. Regardless, the asset information appears atthe intake side of the data intake and query system 2120. The arrivingdata for a system or domain may likely appear in different forms, indifferent patterns, at different times, with different timing factors,structured and unstructured (e.g., freeform, textual, variable length,etc.), crude and processed, simplex and complex, standards-conformingand not, via multiple communication means, modes, and methods, foringestion by the DIQ system 2120. Additional asset-related informationmay be injected into the conceptual flow of data to the DIQ by secondarysystems such as 2112. Secondary systems 2112 may include, for example,the service billing system of an outside contractor that reports repairsto assets of 2110. Secondary systems 2112 may or may not be linkedelectronically to the assets of 2110 but, nonetheless, may produceinformation related to those assets which may be ingested by DIQ 2120.Further, block diagram 2100 illustrates that information in theconceptual flow from the system/domain assets 2110 to DIQ 2120, mayarrive at the DIQ directly or via an intermediary data system such as2114. In one embodiment, intermediary data system 2114 may act, forexample, as a pass-through, information aggregating device. In oneembodiment, intermediary data system 2114 may act, for example, as astore-and-forward device that accumulates asset information in datastore 2116 before forwarding it on to DIQ 2120 according to itsoperation and programming. In one embodiment, intermediary data system2114 may be, for example, and OPC/UA server using standard protocols tocollect asset information which it may later provide to DIQ 2120.Intermediary data systems such as 2114 may be relatively dumb devices inthe sense of performing only rudimentary operations on their input data,sending it back out largely unchanged from how it was received.Intermediary data systems such as 2114 may be relatively smart devicesin the sense of performing more advanced operations on their input data,sending it back out in a possibly highly processed form from that whichwas received. Many embodiments are possible.

Whether originating from assets or asset data generators of 2110, orfrom secondary systems 2112, and whether arriving directly or via anintermediary system such as 2114, asset-related data arrives at dataintake and query 2120 for intake, ingestion, searching, monitoring,reporting, and/or other processing. In an embodiment, DIQ system 2120may well be an implementation of a data intake and query system such assystem 108 as shown and discussed in relation to FIGS. 1, 2, and 9 , orsystem 1006 as shown and discussed in relation to FIG. 8 . In oneembodiment, where DIQ system 2120 is implemented after the fashion ofDIQ system 108 of FIG. 9 , asset data for 2110 of FIG. 10 may includeone or more data sources (202 of FIG. 9 ) coupled to one or moreforwarders (204 of FIG. 9 ). In such an embodiment, asset data for 2110of FIG. 10 may include one or more data sources, perhaps intermediarysystem 2114, coupled to one or more ERP processes (e.g. 1110, 1112 ofFIG. 9 ). Many arrangements and combinations are, of course, possible inlight of the disclosure herein.

In an embodiment, asset data received for intake by DIQ 2120 of FIG. 10may arrive at event data store 2122, which may be implemented as anindexed data store such as data store 208 of FIG. 2 . In an embodiment,asset data received for intake by DIQ 2120 of FIG. 10 may arrive at ametrics data store 2124. Metrics data store 2124 may be implemented byDIQ 2120 as an alternative or supplementary data storage regime to eventdata store 2122 and may have superior performance aspects whenprocessing large volumes of, or data chiefly consisting of, metricsdata. The operation of DIQ 2120 to perform intake and subsequentprocessing of the received asset data is controlled by information incommand/control/configuration data store 2132. CCC console 2134effectively implements the control panel for the system by providinguser interfaces and related processing that enable user, such as asystem administrator or operator, to view, create, edit, delete, orotherwise process or manipulate the information in this CCC data store2132 that controls the operation of the system. CCC console 2134 maycause the display of a user interface on a dedicated console device oron a multi use device such as a network attached user computer asdepicted by 2105 of FIG. 10 . CCC data store 2132 and console processor2134 may be shared in whole or part by DIQ 2120 and asset system 2140,as depicted in FIG. 10 by the straddling of the boundary 2130 betweenthe two. Shared boundary 2130 illustrates the coupling between thefunctionality described for each of DIQ 2120 and asset system 2140.While DIQ 2120 and asset system 2140 are depicted and described asdistinct components in block diagram 2100 one of skill can appreciatethat implementations may vary. In one embodiment, DIQ 2120 and assetsystem 2140 are distinct systems, running on distinct platforms, that donot share CCC data store 2132 or CCC console processor 2134, and thatare coupled by defined interfaces communicating over generalized networkfacilities. In one embodiment, DIQ 2120 and asset system 2140 arecompletely integrated and installed or formed together as a single unit.In one embodiment, software of DIQ 2120 may be installed separately andin advance of asset system 2140 software, and asset system software maybe packaged for installation as an application or subsystem of DIQ 2120.Accordingly, distinctions illustrated and described here representlogical distinctions that are useful to convey an understanding ofinventive aspects but do not impose limitations on the practice of thoseaspects.

Like data intake and query system 2120, the operation of asset system2140 is directed and determined by certain information in a command,control, and configuration data store such as 2132. If asset system 2140does not share CCC data store 2132 with DIQ 2120, it may have its own.Similarly, if asset system 2140 does not share console processor 2134with DIQ 2120, it may have its own, which may nonetheless utilize userinterface device 2105 for displaying interactive user interfaces.Information of CCC data store 2132 for asset system 2140 is shown toinclude information defining and representing an asset hierarchy 2150.Asset hierarchy definition 2150 is a logical construct that may beimplemented as one or more data structures, having one or more formats,stored at one or more locations, across one or more device types.Sufficient information exists in the stored representation of assethierarchy definition 2150, directly or indirectly, expressed or implied,to enable a computing machine arrangement to operate in accordance withthe logical asset hierarchy definition 2150.

Monitor/reporter 2142 of asset system 2140 utilizes asset hierarchydefinition 2150 and perhaps other information in CCC data store 2132 todirect, determine, condition, or otherwise influence its operation toeffect monitoring and/or reporting related to one or more assetsincluded in an asset hierarchy. The activity of monitor/reporter 2142may be variously performed as continuous, intermittent, scheduled, oron-demand processing. Such monitoring and/or reporting activity mayproduce outputs immediately intended for human consumption, such as astatus display user interface presented on a user interface device suchas 2105, or outputs immediately intended for machine use, such as anevent record recorded to the event data 2122 of DIQ 2120 in response todetecting a condition during ongoing analysis of incoming asset data.Monitor/reporter 2142 may perform any of its functional processingdirectly or may interface with other systems and/or subsystems, such asDIQ 2120, to have certain functional processing performed. These andother embodiments are possible.

In an embodiment, DIQ 2120 and asset system 2140 may be implemented asdedicated hardware, dedicated computing hardware programmed withsoftware, general purpose and/or mixed-use computing hardwarespecialized with software to implement operation as a DIQ and assetsystem, or the like, alone or in combination.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate an illustrative asset hierarchy structure.FIGS. 11A and 11B depict the same example asset hierarchy structure,that is to say, the same set of nodes with the same set ofinterrelationships. FIG. 11A, however, labels each node according to itsrole while FIG. 11B labels each node according to one illustrativephysical world example. Hierarchical node 2202 is designated as thesystem or root node and is the only node of hierarchy 2200 that does nothave a parent node (does not descend from a superior node). Root node2202 may or may not represent a unitary physical asset, and often maynot, but in any event may represent the aggregation or collection of allthat is represented in the hierarchy of nodes descending from it. In anembodiment, every asset tree or hierarchy may have a system or rootnode, and the system or root node may serve as a principal entry pointfor navigating the hierarchy and for identifying the hierarchy. Thesystem or root node may represent the system, domain, physical asset,category, location, owner, or other characteristic, designation, orconstruct, that may unify all that is represented in the hierarchy ofnodes descending from it. In an embodiment, the root node of an assethierarchy may represent the system against which monitoring and/orreporting may be conducted, such as a water filtration system. In anembodiment, the root node of an asset hierarchy may represent the domainof assets against which monitoring and/or reporting may be conducted,such as the Western region air-quality sensor stations. System/root node2202 is shown to have two child (immediate descendent) nodes, 2210 and2212, each of which has its own children. Nodes in hierarchy 2200 thathave one or more child nodes are identified in FIG. 11A asasset/container nodes. (Systems/root node 2202 fits the criteria and maybe considered an asset/container node though not labeled as such.) Anasset/container node may represent a physical construct havingsubordinate assets such as a machine that has subassemblies and/orparts. An asset/container node may represent a logical construct havingsubordinate assets such as a category, class, or type of assets, such as“pumps” or “filters,” and serves as a container or collection point forsuch assets. Asset/container node 2210 is shown to have two child nodes,2230 and 2232, neither of which has any child node. Nodes in the assethierarchy or tree that have no children are designated as leaf orterminal asset nodes. While a leaf or terminal asset node in thehierarchy may represent, for example, a physical object for whichsubordinate items, parts, sections, portions, subassemblies, dataitem/channels/streams, or the like, may indeed be capable of beingidentified, those subordinate elements may be effectively disregardedfor monitoring and/or reporting purposes by the asset system because oftheir exclusion from the asset tree. Asset hierarchy 2200 is furthershown to include three child nodes of asset/container node 2212:asset/container node 2234, and terminal asset nodes 2236 and 2238.Asset/container node 2234 is further shown to have child terminal assetnode 2240.

Asset hierarchy 2200 may also be considered in terms of levels withinits hierarchy. According to one paradigm, the levels of the hierarchymay be designated according to the number of steps a node is distancedfrom the root note. (A step may be considered to be the traversal of aninternodal edge of the hierarchical graph.) System/root node 2202 ofasset hierarchy 2200 occupies level 0 as it has no distance from itself.The direct children of system root node 2202, i.e. nodes 2210 and 2212,may be considered level 1 nodes as each is distanced one step fromsystem/root node 2202. Each of the direct children of the level 1 nodes(the “grandchildren” of systems/root node 2202) may be considered alevel 2 node as each is distanced two steps from system/root node 2202.Finally, in this example, leaf node 2240 may be considered a level 3note as it is the direct child of a level 2 node (2234) and is distancedthree steps from system/root node 2202 (a “great-grandchild”).

FIG. 11B duplicates asset hierarchy structure 2200 from FIG. 11A, butnow labeling each node according to a simplistic example to aid inunderstanding. In this example asset tree 2200 of FIG. 11B willrepresent a vacuum packing machine and, accordingly, root node 2202 isidentified as “Vacuum Packer.” The vacuum packer is shown to includeimmediate component assets, Chamber Sensor 2210 and Pump Ass[embl]y2212. Chamber Sensor 2210 is shown to include Temp[erature] and Pressureassets, 2230 and 2232, each of which may represent a source, stream,channel, or component of measurement data for temperature and pressuremetrics, respectively, produced by the chamber sensor device representedby node 2210. Pump assembly 2212 is shown to include immediate componentassets motor 2234, piston cylinder 2236, and valve 2238, each of whichin this example is suggested to represent a physical entity. Node 2234,and by representation the motor of the pump assembly of the vacuumpacker, is shown to include immediate component asset “Thermo[switch]”2240 which may represent an overheat switch (or its state/signal) thatis built into the motor represented by node 2234.

FIG. 12 illustrates methods of an asset hierarchy monitoring andreporting system in one embodiment. The illustrated methods mayrepresent a significant portion of the processing workflow to establishand operate an asset monitoring and reporting system (AMRS). Flowchart2300 of FIG. 12 may beneficially be discussed in terms of an AMRS afterthe fashion illustrated in FIG. 10 , such as an AMRS making combined useof functioning described for the data intake and query system 2120 andthe asset system 2140 of FIG. 10 .

At block 2320 of FIG. 12 , the sources of asset-related data areconfigured so that DIQ functions can intake and process the data. Theprocessing of block 2320 may include storing relevant information incommand, control, and configuration (CCC0 data store 2322. In anembodiment, such information may include data source definitions, datamodel information, field mappings and extraction rules, or the like, asmay be useful to control the operation of the DIQ to intake and process,for storage and query, asset-related data from any number and variety ofdata sources. The processing of block 2320 may include causing thedisplay of user interfaces on a user interface device, such as usercomputer 2312. The displayed user interfaces may be interactive,enabling a user to provide inputs to the processing of block 2320. In anembodiment user inputs may be content or indicators for data items,selections, commands, and such. The processing of block 2320 may utilizecertain user inputs in the immediate context to condition, influence, ordirect CCC console functions performed at block 2320, and may utilizethe same or other certain user inputs to modify information in the CCCdata store and thereby affect AMRS operation beyond the immediatecontext. As suggested, the method processing of block 2320 may beperformed in an embodiment by a CCC console processor such as 2134 ofFIG. 10 . Block 2320 of FIG. 12 may utilize a user interface componentsuch as user interface display 2400 of FIG. 13 in the course of itsprocessing.

FIG. 13 illustrates a user interface display of a console function forspecifying data inputs. Interface display 2400 is shown to includesystem header bar 2402 and header area 2410, followed by a detaildisplay area. The system header bar 2402 is shown to include a systemname, “splunk>”, an application/function drop-down selection element2404, a system menu area 2406, and a system search criteria entry box2408. Header area 2410 is shown to include the title, “Data inputs”, forthe user interface. The detail display area is shown to include sectionheaders 2412 and 2414 which may be used to identify and delineatedifferent sections, portions, panels, or the like, of the detail displayarea. Section header 2412 identifies a “Local inputs” section of thedetail display area which may include a tabular display identifying thetypes of local input data sources that may be defined to a DIQ in oneembodiment. The tabular display of user interface 2400 includes columnheader row 2418 identifying “Type”, “Inputs”, and “Actions” columns. The“Actions” column for each row contains an “Add new” interactive elementthat enables a user to signal her desire to define a new datasource/input for the DIQ of the type identified in the row. Userinteraction with the “Add new” interactive element may cause the displayof, or navigation to, a user interface display component that enables auser to interact with the system for the addition of information to theCCC data store to effect processing for a new data input of the typeidentified in the row. The “Inputs” columns for each row contains acount of the number of already-defined data sources/inputs for the DIQof the type identified in the row. At row 2420, the “Type” columnincludes an interactive identifier, “Files & directories”, referring todata inputs/sources that are files, or directories of files, in the filesystem of one or more host computers. In one embodiment, userinteraction with a type identifier, such as “Files & directories”, mayresult in the appearance of, or navigation to, a user interface displaycomponent that directly provides, or provides access to, one or moreuser interfaces for viewing, editing, deleting, or otherwise interactingwith information of a CCC data store related to already-defined datasources/inputs of the type identified in the row. At row 2422, the“Type” column includes an interactive identifier, “HTTP EventCollector”, referring to data input/sources that are received over HTTPor HTTPS connections. At row 2424, the “Type” column includes aninteractive identifier, “TCP”, referring to data input/sources that arereceived over a listened-to TCP port. At row 2426, the “Type” columnincludes an interactive identifier, “UDP”, referring to datainput/sources that are received over a listened-to UDP port. At row2428, the “Type” column includes an interactive identifier, “Scripts”,referring to data input/sources that are executions of scripts or otherprogramming that collect or generate data. At row 2430, the “Type”column includes an interactive identifier, “OPC UA Pull Connect”,referring to data input/sources that are collected from an OPC/UAserver. At row 2432, the “Type” column includes an interactiveidentifier, “OPC UA Event Notification”, referring to data input/sourcesthat are event notification received from an OPC/UA server. At row 2434,the “Type” column includes an interactive identifier, “OPC UASubscription”, referring to data input/sources that are subscribed froman OPC/UA server. At row 2436, the “Type” column includes an interactiveidentifier, “UA Simulator Server”, referring to data input/sources thatare received by an OPC/UA server simulation.

Without indicating any special significance or importance, it is notedthat the OPC/UA data input types designated in rows 2430, 2432, 2434 and2436, may be relevant to a large class of use cases for an assetmonitoring and reporting system (AMRS) as described herein, as the typesof installations and systems that utilize OPC/UA standards and protocolsare the types of installations and systems having numbers of assets forwhich data is generated and for which robust monitoring and/or reportingcan be beneficial. One large class of installations and/or systemshaving numbers of assets for which data is generated and for whichrobust monitoring and/or reporting can be beneficial, whether utilizingOPC/UA or not, are industrial installations and related industrialcontrol systems. Such systems may include remote monitoring and control(M&C) systems designed to control large or complex facilities such asfactories, power plants, network operations centers, airports, andspacecraft, with some degree of automation. Such a remote monitoring andcontrol system may include a supervisory control and data acquisition(SCADA) system that operates with coded signals over communicationchannels to perhaps acquire information about the status of remoteequipment and perhaps to issue coded command signals to remoteequipment, possibly over large distances, and possibly using protocolsand devices supporting OPC/UA. OPC/UA is well understood in the art asan industrial machine-to-machine (M2M) facility, and informationregarding OPC/UA is promulgated by various means including the websitefound on the internet at the opcfoundation.org domain operated by theOPC Foundation, headquartered at 16101 N. 82^(nd) Street, in Scottsdale,Ariz.

It is understood that in their role and to the extent they concernassets of an asset hierarchy, industrial control systems, includingremote monitoring and control systems and SCADA systems, may performtheir own monitoring and reporting regarding assets in an assethierarchy. Such monitoring and reporting is distinct from the monitoringand reporting performed by an AMRS implementation as described andtaught here, even while the one may provide data to the other.

At block 2330 of FIG. 12 , data sources with asset-related data areprocessed by DIQ functions. The processing of block 2330 may accessinformation of CCC data store 2322 to condition, control, direct,configure, or otherwise influence the intake and processing of the datafrom the data sources. Access to information of CCC data store 2322 mayinclude access to information added or modified during the processing ofblock 2320. In an embodiment, processing of block 2330 may be initiatedautomatically (i.e., without user intervention) and may be performed ina continuous, periodic, regular, scheduled, timed, intermittent, orother such fashion automatically. In an embodiment, the processing ofblock 2330 may be performed on an on-demand basis. Processing of block2330 may result in the reflecting of asset machine data in computerstorage of any number and variety of types. The processing of block 2230may be performed by a DIQ, such as 2120 of FIG. 10 . The asset machinedata 2332 of FIG. 12 may be stored as event data 2122 and/or as metricsdata 2124 of DIQ 2120 of FIG. 10 , for example, in an embodiment.

At block 2340 of FIG. 12 , an asset tree structure may be created oredited. If an asset tree structure is being created, block 2340 maypresent the user with an interface for specifying or indicating one ormore items, aspects, characteristics, options, selections, or such, forthe creation of a new asset tree by the processing of block 2340. In anembodiment, such an interface may include default values or selectionsfor some or all of the information the interface enables a user toindicate or supply. If an asset tree structure is being edited,information of an existing asset tree in CCC data store 2322 may bedirectly or indirectly represented in a display to a user via aninteractive interface. The user may provide inputs via the userinterface. Such user inputs may be used by the processing of block 2340to construct a proper representation of a new or updated asset tree, anda representation of the new or updated asset tree may be reflected inthe information of CCC data store 2322. User interface displays of theprocessing of block 2340 may be caused to be displayed on a userinterface device such as user computer 2314, for example. In anembodiment user computer 2312 and user computer 2314 may be the samedevice or two or more different devices. Embodiments may vary as to theminimum and total amount of information that may be included for eachnode of an asset tree. Embodiments may vary as to the type and number ofdata items, formats, organizations, structures, representations, and thelike that are or may be used for an asset tree representation, or anypart or portion thereof, in CCC data store 2322, in working storageduring the processing of block 2340, or elsewhere and at other times.The processing of block 2340 may be conducted, for example, by CCCconsole functions 2134 associated with an asset system 2140 as shown inFIG. 10 . At the conclusion of the processing of block 2340 of FIG. 12 ,in an embodiment, information representing a new, changed, or unchangedasset tree definition may be found in CCC data store 2322.

At block 2342 of FIG. 12 , definitions for asset metrics may be createdor edited. If one or more metric definitions are being created, block2342 may present the user with an interface for specifying or indicatingone or more items, aspects, characteristics, options, selections, orsuch for the creation of new metrics definitions by the processing ofblock 2342. In an embodiment, such an interface may include defaultvalues or selections for some or all of the information the interfaceenables a user to indicate or supply. If the definition of one or moremetrics is being edited, information of the existing one or more metricsin CCC data store 2322 may be directly or indirectly represented in adisplay to a user via an interactive interface. The user may provideinputs via the user interface. Such user inputs may be used by theprocessing of block 2342 to construct a proper representation of one ormore new or updated metric definitions, and a representation of the newand/or updated metric definitions may be reflected in the information ofCCC data store 2322. User interface displays of the processing of block2342 may be caused to be displayed on a user interface device such asuser computer 2314, for example. Embodiments may vary as to the minimumand total amount of information that may be included for each metricdefinition. Embodiments may vary as to the type and number of dataitems, formats, organizations, structures, representations, and the likethat are or may be used for the storage of a metric definition, or anypart or portion thereof, in CCC data store 2322, in working storageduring the processing of block 2342, or elsewhere and at other times.The processing of block 2342 may be conducted, for example, by CCCconsole functions 2134 associated with an asset system 2140 as shown inFIG. 10 . At the conclusion of the processing of block 2342 of FIG. 12 ,in an embodiment, information representing one or more new, changed,and/or unchanged metric definitions may be found in CCC data store 2322.

In an embodiment, the processing of block 2342 may include processing tocreate or edit definitions, specifications, indications, or the like,for one or more associations between and among one or more metrics, onthe one hand, and one or more assets represented in an asset hierarchy,on the other hand. Embodiments may vary as to the type and number ofdata items, formats, organizations, structures, representations, and thelike, that are or may be used for the representation of suchassociations in computer storage at any place and time. In anembodiment, defined associations are reflected in the information of CCCdata store 2322, and here, as elsewhere, the representation of thedefined associations in computer storage may be direct or indirect,expressed or implied, or otherwise.

At block 2344 of FIG. 12 , definitions for conditions and/or alertsand/or actions may be created or edited. If one or more conditionsand/or alerts and/or actions are being created, block 2344 may presentthe user with an interface for specifying or indicating one or moreitems, aspects, characteristics, options, selections, or such for thecreation by the processing of block 2344 of new condition and/or alertand/or action definitions. In an embodiment, such an interface mayinclude default values or selections for some or all of the informationthe interface enables a user to indicate or supply. If the definition ofone or more conditions and/or alerts and/or actions is being edited,information of the existing one or more conditions/alerts/actions in CCCdata store 2322 may be directly or indirectly represented in display toa user via an interactive interface. The user may provide inputs via theuser interface. Such user inputs may be used by the processing of block2344 to construct a proper representation of the one or more new orupdated condition/alert/action definitions, and a representation of thenew and/or updated condition/alert/action definitions may be reflectedin the information of CCC data store 2322. User interface displays ofthe processing of block 2344 may be caused to be displayed on a userinterface device such as user computer 2314, for example. Embodimentsmay vary as to the minimum and total amount of information that may beincluded for each condition/alert/action definition. Embodiments mayalso vary as to the type and number of data items, formats,organizations, structures, representations, and the like that are or maybe used for the storage of a condition/alert/action definition, or anypart or portion thereof, in CCC data store 2322, in working storageduring the processing of block 2344, or elsewhere and at other times.The processing of block 2344 may be conducted, for example, by CCCconsole functions 2134 associated with an asset system 2140 as shown inFIG. 10 . At the conclusion of the processing of block 2344 of FIG. 12 ,in an embodiment, information representing one or more new, changed,and/or unchanged condition/alert/action definitions may be found in CCCdata store 2322.

In an embodiment, the processing of block 2344 may include processing tocreate or edit definitions, specifications, indications, or the like,for one or more associations between and among one or moreconditions/alerts/actions, on the one hand, and one or more otherdefined objects, elements, or constructs, on the other hand. Embodimentsmay vary as to the type and number of data items, formats,organizations, structures, representations, and the like, that are ormay be used for the representation of such associations in computerstorage at any place and time. In an embodiment, defined associationsare reflected in the information of CCC data store 2322, and here aselsewhere, the representation of the defined associations in computerstorage may be direct or indirect, expressed or implied, and otherwise.

At block 2346 of FIG. 12 , command, control, and configuration (CCC)information for the monitoring and/or reporting processing of the AMRSas may appear in CCC data store 2322, may be created or edited. If theinformation is being created, block 2346 may present the user with aninterface for specifying or indicating one or more items, aspects,characteristics, options, selections, or such for the creation of newCCC information by the processing of block 2346. In an embodiment, suchan interface may include default values or selections for some or all ofthe information the interface enables a user to indicate or supply. IfCCC information is being edited, existing information of CCC data store2322 may be directly or indirectly represented in a display to a uservia an interactive interface. The user may provide inputs via the userinterface. Such user inputs may be used by the processing of block 2346to construct a proper representation of the information and to reflectit in CCC data store 2322. User interface displays of the processing ofblock 2346 may be caused to be displayed on a user interface device suchas user computer 2314, for example. Embodiments may vary as to theminimum and total amount of user-configurable information, and thepurposes of which, that may be included in CCC data that determines,conditions, or otherwise influences the operation of monitoring and/orreporting aspects of the processing of an AMRS. Embodiments may vary asto the type and number of data items, formats, organizations,structures, representations, and the like that are or may be used forthe storage of monitoring and/or reporting CCC information, or any partor portion thereof, in CCC data store 2322, in working storage dream theprocessing of block 2346, or elsewhere and at other times. Theprocessing of block 2346 may be conducted, for example, by CCC consolefunctions 2134 associated with an asset system 2140 as shown in FIG. 10. At the conclusion of the processing of block 2346 of FIG. 12 , in anembodiment, information representing new, changed, and/or unchanged CCCinformation that determines, conditions, or otherwise influences theoperation of monitoring and/or reporting aspects of the processing of anAMRS may be found in CCC data store 2322.

It is noted that as the illustrative example 2300 of FIG. 12 envisionsan AMRS combining DIQ and asset system functionality as described inrelation to FIG. 10 , CCC data store 2322 of FIG. 12 finds a counterpartin a shared CCC data store 2132 as described in relation to FIG. 10 ,and, similarly, any discussion here in reference to CCC consoleprocessor 2134 of FIG. 10 embraces an embodiment of a shared CCC consoleas discussed there.

At block 2350 of FIG. 12 , ongoing automatic and/or on-demand monitoringand/or reporting for an asset hierarchy as may be provided by an AMRS isconducted. The processing of block 2350 may utilize informationreflected in CCC data store 2322 as described for the processing ofother blocks of 2300, to determine, direct, condition, or otherwiseinfluence its operational activity. In an embodiment, asset hierarchymonitoring activity may include data intake, internal data generation,computer-to-computer data transmission/presentation, andcomputer-to-person data presentation, for example, with a possibleemphasis on data intake and generation aspects. In an embodiment, assethierarchy reporting activity may include one or more of the same with apossible emphasis on data presentation aspects. The processing of block2350 may be conducted, for example, by a combination of DIQ 2120 andasset system 2140 of FIG. 10 , in an embodiment.

Examples for the processing of block 2350 for illustrativeimplementations, applications, or instantiations of an AMRS, follow. Inone example, the processing of block 2350 may include monitoring sensorson a connected soldier in the battlefield and generate appropriatealerts for received impacts or heartbeat abnormalities. In one example,the processing of block 2350 may include monitoring process controlequipment in a beverage processing facility and generate alerts forout-of-range temperatures or vibration anomalies. In one example, theprocessing of block 2350 may include monitoring activity in a workordermanagement system report impacts caused by scheduled downtime. In oneexample, the processing of block 2350 may include monitoring changes inprocess control settings, such as PID control settings, and reportimpacts on the accuracy of control loops. These are but a fewillustrative examples.

An appreciation for the methods 2300 of FIG. 12 may be further developedby consideration of methods and user interface examples illustrated anddiscussed in relation to figures that follow.

3.2 Asset Hierarchy Establishment

FIG. 14 illustrates a method for constructing an asset treerepresentation in control storage. Method 2500 of FIG. 14 illustrates amethod as might be employed in an embodiment during the processing ofblock 2340 of FIG. 12 , for example. Processing of block 2510 of FIG. 14causes the display of a user interface on a user interface device. Theuser interface may be interactive enabling a user to both receiveinformation from the AMRS (e.g., its CCC console processor) and toprovide information to the AMRS as enabled by the user interface. Atblock 2512, the AMRS receives an indication of search criteria which maybe provided by user interaction with the user interface. In anembodiment, the search criteria indications may represent some or all ofthe search criteria used in a DIQ search query to identify usefulasset-related information. In an embodiment, the search criteriaindications may be provided by user interaction in one or more forms,for example, selections of checkboxes associated with a particularsearch criteria, segments of text in the form of a query language thatspecify search criteria, the text of a fully formed search query inaccordance with the query language, or others. At block 2514, theindications of search criteria received at block 2512 are utilized bythe AMRS to construct, as necessary, a search query to locate usefulasset-related information, and to execute a search to locate such usefulasset-related information in accordance with the indicated searchcriteria. In an embodiment, the AMRS may conduct such a definition-timesearch by passing a search query request to a DIQ component of thesystem. At block 2516, some or all of the search results from theprocessing of block 2514 are caused to be displayed via a userinterface. In an embodiment, processing of block 2516 enables a user toview the search results and to iterate back to block 2512 if the searchresults are deemed unsatisfactory. Processing of block 2516 may enable auser to indicate satisfaction with the search results and therebyadvance to processing that enables a user to make certainclassifications of the search results, perhaps by updating the displayof the user interface. In one embodiment, the user interface initiallydisplayed from the processing of block 2516 may enable the user toimmediately indicate the certain classifications, and any particularuser interactions to indicate the classifications may be interpreted byblock 2516 as an indication by the user of satisfaction with the searchresults. Other embodiments are possible. At block 2518, indications ofuser classifications of the search results are received and processed.The processing of block 2518, in an embodiment, may receive and processan indication of data in the search result set that may be used toprovide an identification of assets to be represented as nodes in anasset hierarchy. The processing of block 2518 in an embodiment mayreceive and process an indication of data in the search result set thatmay be used to provide an identification of a parent asset correspondingto an asset identified in the search result set. In an embodiment, theuser indications received and processed at block 2518 may be indicationsof the identification of fields produced by the search query thatprovide asset identifying and parent asset identifying information. Atblock 2520, the AMRS makes a determination of an asset tree structure byprocessing the result of the search query produced at block 2514, or arelated search, in view and consideration of the asset and parentindications received at block 2518. A related search, in an embodiment,may be a search that is derived from the original search but is somehowmodified, perhaps by restricting the fields returned in the searchresult set, or perhaps by expanding the scope of the data searched, orperhaps by other variations. The processing of block 2520, in anembodiment, may determine all of the unique identifiers that may befound within the designated asset identifier field of the search resultset and create an asset hierarchy node for each, determine a respectiveparent for each unique asset using information found within thedesignated asset parent identifier field of the search result set, andcross reference asset identifiers and asset parent identifiers todetermine the hierarchical relationships for the asset nodes and createa representation of those associations between the created asset nodes.Such representations may be express or implied, direct or indirect, orotherwise. In one embodiment, such representation is made by includingthe asset id for the parent asset among the information of each non-rootnode. In one embodiment, such representation is made by including theasset id for the child among one or more entries of a child-listmaintained for each asset node. Other embodiments are possible. Theprocessing of block 2520, in an embodiment, may conclude with arepresentation of the determined asset hierarchy recorded in computerstorage, perhaps in computer storage of the local working context, orperhaps in persistent computer storage of a CCC data store. These andother embodiments are possible.

At block 2522, in an embodiment, processing is performed to receive andprocess user indications of data items, elements, fields, constants, orthe like that should be included in, directly or indirectly, thedefinitional information of nodes in the asset hierarchy tree. In oneembodiment, indications received and processed at block 2522 areindications of fields in the search result set produced at block 2514 orproduced elsewhere that contain information that should be includedamong the definitional information of the asset hierarchy. Theindications received and processed at block 2522 are utilized in theprocessing of block 2524 to augment the asset identifier information ofthe asset hierarchy with additional, possibly per-node, information. Theprocessing of block 2524, in an embodiment, may conclude with arepresentation in the computer storage that reflects an asset hierarchystructure with augmented information. These and other embodiments arepossible.

FIG. 15 illustrates a user interface display for an asset search consolefunction. User interface display 2600 is such as might be caused todisplay during the processing of block 2340 of FIG. 12 , or theprocessing of method 2500 of FIG. 14 , for example; such processingpossibly performed by a command, control, and configuration consoleprocessor such as 2134 of FIG. 10 . User interface display 2600 of FIG.15 is shown to include system header bar 2402, application informationand menu bar 2602, console function header area 2610, searchspecification area 2620, and search result area 2630. Applicationinformation and menu bar 2602 is shown to include a title for theapplication or topic within the system to which the user interfacepertains (“Asset Intelligence”), and a number of menu and/or navigationoptions (“Configure”, “Monitor”, “Diagnose”, “Search”) which may beinteractive elements for navigation, drop-down menus, drop-downselection lists or such. Console function header area 2610, which mayidentify an AMRS CCC console function to which the current userinterface pertains, is shown to include function identifier or title2612 (“Asset import”), function/task progress indicator 2614, and “Next”action button 2616. Function/task progress indicator 2614 may provide auser with information about the association of the current userinterface 2600 with a particular step, segment, or subtask of amultipart task, process, or workflow, such as “Asset import.” As shown,progress indicator 2614 indicates by a solid colored circle thatinterface 2600 is associated with a “Search assets” portion of an “Assetimport” function, task, or workflow. In an embodiment, action button2616 may be interactive enabling the user by a keypress, mouseclick,touchscreen press, or the like, to indicate to the AMRS a desire tonavigate to processing and an associated user interface for a subsequentportion of the “Asset import” function.

Search specification area 2620 is shown in FIG. 15 to include a searchspecification text box 2622 displaying the text of a search languagequery 2624, a search timeframe specification component 2626, and anexecute-search action button 2628. In an embodiment, the displayed textof the search language query 2624 (or other form of search criteriaspecification) may be a system supplied initial value, a user enteredvalue, a user edited version of a system supplied value, a recalledvalue from a user profile, a last-used value, or a value from anothersource. Other implementations are possible. Search timeframespecification component 2626 may be an interactive element such as adrop-down selection box that displays some defaulted value or the lastvalue specified or selected by the user, shown here as “Last 4 hours.”Execute-search action button 2628 may be an interactive element such asan iconized action button that may enable the user by a supportedinteraction to indicate to the AMRS a desire to execute the searchspecified by information that may include values associated with userinterface elements 2622 and 2626. An AMRS in an embodiment may respondto user interaction with action button 2628 by receiving user input andperforming processing to execute a search specified at least in part bycontent represented in search specification area 2620 of interface 2600.In an embodiment, performing a specified search for asset-related datamay include invoking services or functions of a data intake and querysystem (DIQ) to perform the specified search and produce a searchresult. An embodiment may utilize the search result set to populate thesearch result display area 2630. While inventive aspects may not be solimited, search result display area 2630 of example interface 2600 isshown to present search results in a tabular format, shown here as anorthogonal grid of information cells each uniquely identifiable by thecombination of the row in which it appears and the column in which itappears. Search result display area 2630 is shown to include columnheadings area 2632, table data area 2634, and table data navigationcontrol area 2636. Each of the rows 2650 a-j appearing in table dataarea 2634 has an information display cell located in each of columns2640 a-h, indicated by the headings of 2632 to be information cells for“Equipment”, “Equipment Category”, “Manufacturer”, “Model”,“Installation date”, “Flow”, “ORP_Level”, and “Pressure”, respectively.In an embodiment, the column headings of 2632 may be populated with thenames of fields returned in the search result set. In an embodiment,each of the rows appearing in the table data area may correspond to anindividual instance, record, entry, or such, of a search result. In anembodiment, individual column headings of 2632 may be interactive so asto enable the user to indicate to the AMRS a desire to see theinformation appearing in table data area 2634 sorted according to theorder of the values appearing in the column corresponding to the headingwith which the user interacted. These and other embodiments andvariations are possible.

It may be worth noting that one of skill may well consider the presentteachings, illustrated here in terms of a tabular information formatwith rows and columns, in different terms that may more artfully pertainin a particular implementation without necessarily departing frominventive aspects. For example, a table of data may be considered interms of a file, dataset, array, list, collection, or others, andperhaps in particular reference to having one or more rows or rowequivalents, and one or more columns or column equivalents. For example,a row may be considered in terms of the tuple, record, entry, line,dimension, or others. For example, a column may be considered in termsof a field, item, position, offset, dimension item, category, or others.For example, a column title or heading may be considered in terms of afield name, item name, or key. For example, a table cell may beconsidered in terms of a field value, item value, dimension item value,or value as may pertain to a key-value pair, or others. The illustrationof inventive embodiments using a tabular data format with columns androws should not be considered as limiting the practice of inventiveaspects where that is not otherwise required.

A user may indicate to the AMRS that the search specified at 2620 isadequate to capture data that embraces an asset hierarchy for which theuser desires monitoring and/or reporting operations to be performed bythe AMRS. In the example illustrated by interface 2600, a user mayinteract with action button 2616 to make such an indication of theadequacy of the specified search. In an embodiment, consequent toreceiving an indication of user interaction with action button 2616 ofinterface 2600, an AMRS may perform processing that directly orindirectly may cause the display of a user interface such as depicted inFIG. 16 .

FIG. 16 illustrates a user interface display for an asset informationclassification console function. User interface display 2700 is such asmight be caused to display during the processing of block 2340 of FIG.12 , or the processing of method 2500 of FIG. 14 , for example; suchprocessing possibly performed by a command, control, and configurationconsole processor such as 2134 of FIG. 10 . User interface display 2700of FIG. 16 is shown to include system header bar 2402, applicationinformation and menu bar 2602, console function header area 2610, andsearch result area 2730. System header bar 2402 and applicationinformation and menu bar 2602 are as described for identically numberedelements appearing in, and described in relation to, depictions of userinterface displays in earlier figures. Console function header area 2610is as described for the identically numbered element depicted ininterface display 2600 of FIG. 15 with the exceptions that the currentposition indicator associated with function/task progress indicator 2614is shown here advanced to the “Select columns” task portion, and that a“Previous” action button 2718 counterpart to “Next” action button 2616now appears.

Search result display area 2730 of FIG. 16 largely corresponds to searchresult display area 2630 of FIG. 15 . The column or field namesappearing in column headings area 2632 of FIG. 15 also appear in thesame relative positions in column names area 2732 of FIG. 16 , albeitwithout the companion sort action interface elements. Table data area2734 of FIG. 16 finds correspondence to table data area 2634 of FIG. 15with a difference that table data area 2734 of FIG. 16 is shown toinclude a greater number of individual rows (2750 a-m). Columns 2740 a-hof search result display area 2730 of FIG. 16 directly correspond tocolumns 2640 a-h of FIG. 15 . Notably, the column header area 2731 ofFIG. 16 is expanded beyond merely including a column or field nameheader row 2732 (or 2632 of FIG. 15 ) to also including a columnclassification row 2733. Column classification row 2733 includes aclassification interface component in each of the columns of the row,such as classification selection drop-down 2733 a appearing in row 2733at column position 2740 a. User interaction with classificationselection drop-down 2733 a may cause the display of a drop-downselection list such as 2760. The drop-down selection list may provide auser with a number of interactive selection options, each optiondesignating a role that column data may play in constructing arepresentation of an asset hierarchy. Drop-down selection list 2760 ofthe illustrated embodiment is shown to include a defaulted “Skip Column”option 2762 a, the default to, or express selection of which, indicatesthat data of the column may be ignored for purposes of defining an assethierarchy.

Drop-down selection list 2760 of the illustrated embodiment is shown toinclude a “Parent Asset” option 2762 b, the selection of which indicatesthat data of the column includes an asset identifier for an asset thatis the parent of the asset represented by the particular row in thetable. When creating a representation of an asset hierarchy from thesearch result data, the AMRS may utilize information in a “Parent Asset”column when determining the internodal associations or relationshipsthat define the hierarchical structure. In one embodiment, no more thanone column may be classified as a “Parent Asset” column.

Drop-down selection list 2760 of the illustrated embodiment is shown toinclude an “Asset” option 2762 c, the selection of which indicates thatdata of the column includes the asset identifier for the assetrepresented by the particular row in the table. When creating arepresentation of an asset hierarchy from the search result data, theAMRS may utilize information in an “Asset” column when determining orassociating an identification for nodes in the hierarchy. In oneembodiment, no more than one column may be classified as an “Asset”column. In one embodiment, a first column designated as an “Asset”column is used to determine or associate an identification for a node,and any subsequent column designated as an “Asset” column is included inthe asset tree definitional data as nickname metadata for the node.

Drop-down selection list 2760 of the illustrated embodiment is shown toinclude a “Metric” option 2762 d, the selection of which indicates thatdata of the column is related to a metric for the asset represented bythe particular row in the table. When creating a representation of anasset hierarchy from the search result data, the AMRS may utilizeinformation in a “Metric” column, particularly the column name orheading in one embodiment, to include the metric among one or moremetrics that may be associated with the asset represented by theparticular row in the table. Such an association will not occur in anembodiment where the metric column value in the asset row is, forexample, a null value.

Drop-down selection list 2760 of the illustrated embodiment is shown toinclude an “Asset Metadata” option 2762 e, the selection of whichindicates that data of the column includes information that describes oris otherwise related to the asset represented by the particular row inthe table. When creating a representation of an asset hierarchy from thesearch result data, the AMRS may utilize information in an “AssetMetadata” column to populate a metadata portion, and possibly auser-defined metadata portion, of definitional data associated with anode of the asset hierarchy.

Classification interface components appearing in each of the columns ofrow 2733 operate likewise in an embodiment for their respective columns.In one embodiment, “Next” action button 2616 may be disabled for userinteraction unless a column has been classified as an “Asset” column anda column has been classified as a “Parent Asset” column. When systemrequirements are satisfied, “Next” action button 2616 may be enabled.When user desires are satisfied, a user may interact with “Next” actionbutton 2616 to indicate satisfaction. In one embodiment, and AMRSreceiving an indication of user interaction with “Next” action button2616 may conclude processing as described in relation to block 2518 ofFIG. 14 , and proceed to processing described in relation to block 2520of FIG. 14 where the AMRS determines an asset tree hierarchy usingsearch results and user classifications, in one embodiment.

In an embodiment employing user interface 2700 of FIG. 16 , the AMRS mayperform processing as described in relation to blocks 2522 and 2524 ofFIG. 14 in conjunction with the processing as described for blocks 2518and 2520. In one embodiment, for example, a user input indicating aclassification of the column as a “Metric” or “Asset Metadata” columnmay implicate the processing of block 2522 of FIG. 14 . Otherimplementations and embodiments are possible. In one embodiment, afterdetermining an asset hierarchy from search result data the AMRS maycause the display of the user interface as illustrated in FIG. 17 .

FIG. 17 illustrates a user interface for an asset tree display consolefunction. User interface display 2800 as such as might be caused todisplay during the processing of block 2340 of FIG. 12 , or theprocessing of method 2500 of FIG. 14 , for example; such processingpossibly performed by a command, control, and configuration consoleprocessor such as 2134 of FIG. 10 . User interface display 2800 of FIG.17 is shown to include system header bar 2402, application informationand menu bar 2602, console function header area 2610, asset tree displayarea 2810, and asset tree node information area 2830. System header bar2402 and application information and menu bar 2602 are as described foridentically numbered elements appearing in, and described in relationto, depictions of user interface displays in earlier figures. Consolefunction header area 2610 is as described for the identically numberedelement depicted in interface display 2600 of FIG. 16 with the exceptionthat the current position indicator associated with function/taskprogress indicator 2614 is shown here advanced to the “Preview” taskportion. Asset tree display area 2810 is shown to include area title2812, “PREVIEW YOUR ASSETS”. In one embodiment, asset tree display areatitle 2812 displays the name, title, or other identifier for the rootnode of an asset hierarchy. In one embodiment, asset tree display areatitle 2812 remains fixed in its position regardless of whether thecontent displayed beneath is scrolled from its initial or defaultposition. Content displayed in the asset tree display area 2810 beneatharea title 2812 is a hierarchical listing of the names, titles, or otheridentifiers of the nodes in the asset hierarchy beneath the root node.The hierarchical level of a node determines the amount of indentationdisplayed for its identifier. For example, node entry 2814 for a nodenamed “Sand Filtration System” is a child of the root node, at level 1in the asset hierarchy, and so displayed with a first amount ofindentation. As a second example, node entry 2816 for a node named “SandFilter 5/6” is a child of the “Sand Filtration System” node, agrandchild of the root node, at level 2 in the asset hierarchy, and sodisplayed with a second amount of indentation which, in one embodiment,is a greater amount of indentation than for any level above it in thehierarchy. That is to say, the deeper a node is in the asset hierarchy(the higher its level number) the greater the amount of indentation usedfor its name as displayed in asset tree display area 2810. As yet afurther example, node entry 2820 for a node named “Foam Fractionation”is a child of the root node, at level 1 in the asset hierarchy, and sodisplayed with the same first amount of indentation as for node entry2814. As one final example, node entry 2822 for a node named “ProteinSkimmer 5” is a child of the “Foam Fractionation” node, a grandchild ofthe root node, at level 2 in the asset hierarchy, and so displayed withthe same second amount of indentation as for node entry 2816.

Node entry 2818 for a node named “Sand Filter 3/4” is shown having adarker background than the other node entries displayed in asset treedisplay area 2810. The distinctive highlighting of node entry 2818 is avisual indicator that the user has interacted with the interface toindicate a selection of node entry 2818. In an embodiment, a mouse clickor touchscreen press in the display area of node entry 2818 may be anindication to the computing machine of the user's desire to select theparticular entry. A selected node entry of asset tree display area 2810,such as node entry 2818, may cause interface 2800 to be refreshed orupdated to display information associated with the node represented bythe selected node entry in asset tree node information area 2830. Inthis example, asset tree node information area 2830 is shown to includethe area title of “INFORMATION” followed by a list of information items2832 related to the node which, in an embodiment, may be stored in or inassociation with the representation of the node in a stored form of theasset tree hierarchy, perhaps as it was just determined. In oneembodiment, the list of information items 2832 may include an entry foreach column classified as a Metric or Asset Metadata column during theprocessing associated with interface 2700 of FIG. 16 . Each entry in thelist of information items 2832 may be displayed as a column or fieldname followed by the corresponding value. For example information itemslist entry 2834 is shown with column or field name “Manufacturer:” andthe value “Neptune Benson.” In one embodiment, while having an entry inthe list of information items 2832, information items showing a value of“N/A” (indicative of a null value in an earlier search result) are notactually recorded as part of the definitional information in a finalstored form of the asset tree hierarchy. Such a final stored form of theasset tree hierarchy may be created and committed to computer storagesuch as the CCC data store 2132 of FIG. 10 , in response to the AMRSreceiving an indication of user interaction with “Next” action button2616 of interface 2800 of FIG. 17 . Such processing may be part of theconcluding processing contemplated for block 2340 of FIG. 12 , in anembodiment.

FIG. 18 illustrates a user interface display for a metrics consolefunction. User interface display 2900 is such as might be caused todisplay during the processing of block 2342 of FIG. 12 , for example;such processing possibly performed by a command, control, andconfiguration console processor, such as 2134 of FIG. 10 . Userinterface display 2900 of FIG. 18 is shown to include system header bar2402, application information and menu bar 2902, asset hierarchy displayarea 2920, metrics overview display area 2940, and metric detail displayarea 2960. System header bar 2402 is as described for identicallynumbered elements appearing in, and described in relation to, depictionsof user interface displays in earlier figures. Application informationand menu bar 2902 is comparable to other application information andmenu bars depicted and described in relation to earlier appearingfigures, such as bar 2602 of FIG. 17 . Asset hierarchy display area 2920may enable a user to identify one or more assets of an asset tree forwhich metrics information may be created, edited, deleted, or otherwiseprocessed. Metrics overview display area 2940 may enable a user to viewa range of defined metrics associated with an asset hierarchy and toselect a particular metric for individual processing, such as editing,or deletion. Metric detail display area 2960 may enable a user to viewand interact with information and processing for a particular metric.

Asset hierarchy display area 2920 is shown to include area title 2922“Assets”, “Add new asset” action button 2924, asset search component2926, and asset node list 2928. Asset node list 2928 includes a nodelist entry for each of one or more of the nodes in an asset hierarchy.In one embodiment, initially and by default, node list 2928 includes anode list entry for every node in the asset hierarchy except for theroot node. In an embodiment, a user may interact with asset searchcomponent 2926 of interface 2900 to indicate to the AMRS filter criteriaas may be applied to the nodes of the asset hierarchy before populatinglist 2928. For example, a user may enter the word “recovery” into a textbox of search component 2926 and the AMRS upon receiving that indicationmay update asset tree node list 2928 to include entries for only thosenodes of the asset tree whose names include the word “recovery.” In suchan example, the displayed asset tree node list 2928 would be shortenedto show only the “Backwash Recovery” node entry and the node entries forits children, i.e., “Recovery Basin 2” through “Recovery ProteinsSkimmer.” The display of asset tree node list 2928 may depict thehierarchical relationship among the nodes using an indentation schemesuch as that described in regard to the node list display of 2810 ofFIG. 17 . Examples of asset node entries of list 2928 shown forinterface 2900 include node entry 2930 representing level 1 node“Ozonation System”, node entry 2931 representing level 2 node “OzoneTower 2”, and node entry 2932 representing level 2 node “Ozone Tower 1”.Asset tree node list 2928 of FIG. 18 may include an interactive checkbox for one or more node entries to enable a user to identify aselection of one or more asset nodes through interaction with thecheckboxes. For example, a user may interact with a number of checkboxesto place them in a selected state, and the set of asset node entrieswith selected checkboxes may be used to associate the asset tree nodesrepresented by those entries with a metric being created or edited. Inan embodiment, the selection state of checkboxes in the node entries oflist 2928 may be set by the AMRS to correspond to the set of assetsassociated with a metric selected from metrics list 2948.

A user interaction with “Add new asset” action button 2924 that isindicated to the AMRS may cause the AMRS to engage processing to effectthe addition of one or more nodes to the current asset tree hierarchy.In one embodiment, the AMRS may present a user interface similar tointerface 2700 of FIG. 16 but including one or more empty table rowsthat are enabled for data entry by the user such that the user canmanually supplement the data of the search result set. Such manualsupplementation to the search result set may be useful, for example, inthe situation where a user is aware of new assets that are about to comeonline but for which no machine data has yet been collected. In oneembodiment, in response to an indication of user interaction with “Addnew asset” action button 2924 of FIG. 18 , AMRS may engage processing toeffect the addition of one or more nodes to the current asset treehierarchy by presenting a user interface, such as a modal window, thatenables a user to specify information sufficient to define an additionalnode in the asset tree hierarchy. These and other embodiments arepossible.

Metrics overview display area 2940 is shown to include area title 2942“Metrics”, “Add new Metric” action button 2944, metrics search component2946, and metrics list 2948. In an embodiment metrics list 2948 may bepopulated by the AMRS with an entry for each already-defined metricknown to the AMRS. In an embodiment, metrics list 2948 may be populatedby the AMRS with an entry for each already-defined metric known to theAMRS and associated with at least one node of the asset tree hierarchyrepresented in whole or in part in 2920. In an embodiment, metrics list2948 may be populated by the AMRS with an entry for one or more metricsknown to the AMRS to be associated with any manufacturer (or othermetadata information item) that is associated with any asset node of theasset tree hierarchy represented in whole or in part in 2920. These andother embodiments are possible. In an embodiment, population of metricslist 2948 by the AMRS may be influenced by prior user interaction withmetrics search component 2946 to supply a filter criteria.

Individual entries of metrics list 2948 may each be enabled for userinteraction so as to enable a user to indicate a selection of one of theentries of the list, in an embodiment. Metrics list entry 2950 ofinterface 2900, “HealthScore”, is depicted with a different backgroundcolor than that of the other entries, indicating a default selection ofthe metric associated with that entry or indicating a prior userinteraction with that entry to effect such a selection. The selection ofan entry of metrics list 2948 may result in the display of informationand user interface elements in a metric information area 2960 that arepertinent to the metric represented by the selected entry, such asselected entry 2950. User interaction with “Add new Metric” actionbutton 2944 may be indicated to the AMRS, which may in response presenta modified or alternate user interface display enabling a user toindicate sufficient information to define a new metric.

Metric detail display area 2960 displays information and user interfaceelements pertinent to the metric represented by the selected entry ofmetrics list 2948, such as selected entry 2950, “HealthScore”. Metricdetail display area 2960 is shown to include general information area2962, metric configuration action area 2964, alerts configuration actionarea 2970, actions configuration action area 2974, and metric deletionaction area 2980. General information area 2962 may display one or moreinformation items of the defined metric using a fieldname:value format(e.g. “Metric Name: Healthscore”), and may display one field orinformation item on each line. Metric configuration action area 2964 isshown to indicate a count of the number of assets (asset nodes)associated with the subject metric, which count may correspond to thenumber of node entries of list 2928 having selected checkboxes, in anembodiment. Metric configuration action area 2964 is shown to includeEdit action button 2966 enabling a user to indicate a desire to view andchange information of a metric configuration. Alerts configurationaction area 2970 is shown to include an area title or caption, and Editaction button 2972. Actions configuration action area 2974 is shown toinclude an area title or caption, and Edit action button 2976. Inresponse to an indication of user interaction with any of Edit actionbuttons 2966, 2972 and 2976, the AMRS may cause the display of anupdated, altered or alternate user interface that displays appropriateinformation and enables a user to indicate changes thereto. Examples ofsuch are illustrated and discussed in relation to figures that follow.

Metric deletion action area 2980 is shown to include an area title orcaption, a deletion warning message, and “Delete Metric” action button2982. In response to an indication of user interaction with actionbutton 2982, the AMRS may display a user interface element, such as amessage box, requiring a final user confirmation for a deletion actionand, upon receipt of an indication of such a confirmation, the AMRS mayengage processing to erase, suspend, deactivate, flag, mark, orotherwise logically or physically “delete” the metric definition. Suchprocessing may further include updating metrics list 2948 to remove theentry representing the deleted metric, in an embodiment.

FIG. 19 illustrates a user interface display for a metrics configurationconsole function. In an embodiment of an AMRS, interface 3000 of FIG. 19may be caused to be displayed on a user interface device in response touser interaction with “Add new Metric” action button 2944 or Edit actionbutton 2966 of FIG. 18 . When interface 3000 of FIG. 19 is displayed inresponse to user interaction with “Add new Metric” action button 2944 ofFIG. 18 , information components of the user interface may be empty,contain default values, and/or display tips to the user regarding theuse of the component. When interface 3000 of FIG. 19 is displayed inresponse to user interaction with Edit action button 2966 of FIG. 18 ,information components of the user interface may be populated withinformation values from the existing metric definition. Interface 3000of FIG. 19 is shown to include header area 3002, footer area 3004,general information area 3010, data selection area 3020, metricdetermination area 3030, and metric time factor area 3060. Header area3002 of interface 3000 is shown to include a title or caption for theinterface.

General information for the metric definition is displayed and/orindicated by the user via the interface components of generalinformation area 3010. General information area 3010 is shown to includea metric name component 3012, a metric description component 3014, and ametric units components 3016. In this illustrative example, the metricname component 3012 is an interactive text box used by the AMRS todisplay information it has for the name or identifier of the metric andto receive indications of a user-desired value for the name oridentifier of the metric. Similarly, the metric description component3014 is an interactive text box used by the AMRS to display informationit has regarding a description for the metric and to receive indicationsof a user-desired value for the description. Similarly, the metric unitscomponent 3016 is an interactive text box used by the AMRS to displayinformation it has for a designated unit to be associated with valuesidentified or produced for the metric and to receive indications of auser-desired value for the metrics unit. For example, a metric unit maybe a unit of measurement such as degrees-Fahrenheit orpounds-per-square-inch (PSI).

In one embodiment, metrics may be determined by search queries executedagainst asset-related data (that may include other metric data). In oneembodiment, the asset-related data are kept by and/or accessed via adata intake and query (DIQ) system such as DIQ 108 of FIG. 1 or DIQ 2120of FIG. 10 . In one embodiment, more particularly, asset-related metricsare determined by search queries processed by a DIQ against data itstores, indexes, manages, and/or provides access to for searchprocessing. Accordingly, in such an embodiment, metric configuration ordefinition data may relate directly to the specification of searchqueries to be executed using the processing facilities of a DIQ. Suchsearch queries may be executed by a DIQ just as the definition-timesearch discussed earlier in relation to block 2514 of FIG. 14 , but are,in contrast, metric- or metric-time search queries for deriving metricdata/measurements. In that vein, data selection area 3020 of FIG. 19 isused to display or specify information of a metric definition related todata selection aspects of a search query for the metric. Data selectionarea 3020 of interface 3000 is shown to include a set of option buttons3022 including an “Asset Model” option button 3023 a and an “Ad hocsearch” option button 3023 b. Data selection 3020 is shown to furtherinclude chosen-asset component 3026 and aggregation mode selection radiobuttons 3027 a-b. In an embodiment, when “Asset Model” option button3023 a is activated (to the exclusion of option button 3023 b) a user isenabled to indicate to the AMRS a selection of one or more assetsrepresented by nodes in the asset hierarchy, and the AMRS processes theindicated selection to determine a search query, aspects, or portionsthat cause the executed search query to match, select, filter, oridentify the data properly associated with the asset selection and asmay be relevant to the production of the metric value.

In one embodiment, a user is enabled to indicate a selection of assetsby entering their identifiers into chosen-asset component 3026. In oneembodiment, a user is enabled to indicate a selection of assets byselecting one or more assets from a displayed list of nodes in the assethierarchy. In such an embodiment, the AMRS when processing the userindications may populate chosen-asset component 3026 with the names ofthe assets that were indicated for selection by the user.

Aggregation mode selection radio buttons 3027 a-b may not strictly berelated to a data selection aspect of a DIQ search query but may berelated to an aspect of a DIQ search query that determines how theselected data is processed to produce a search query result. In oneembodiment, indicating individual (non-aggregated) metric mode to theAMRS using radio button 3027 a may result in the AMRS determining asearch query, aspect, or portion that causes the executed search queryto produce a value for the metric on a per-asset basis, instead of or inaddition to producing the value for the metric on an aggregated basis.In one embodiment, indicating aggregated metric mode to the AMRS usingradio button 3027 b may result in the AMRS determining a search query,aspect, or portion that causes the executed search query to produce avalue for the metric on an aggregated basis. In an embodiment, a searchquery that does not indicate a need for per-asset results (or thatindicates only an aggregated result is required) may permit the DIQ toexecute the search query in an optimized fashion with early dataaggregation, reducing resource consumption and speeding the execution ofthe query. Accordingly, an embodiment enabling the specification of amore efficient option when it will accommodate the needed result is animproved data processing machine.

Metric determination area 3030 may be used to display or specifyinformation of a metric definition related to aspects of a search querythat determine a value for the metric from the data selected by thesearch query. Metric determination area 3030 of interface 3000 is shownto include calculation category component 3032, calculation linedeletion action element 3034, metric component 3036, calculationcomponent 3050, filter component 3052, units component 3054, operatorcomponent 3056, “Add new logic” action element 3058, and “Save logic”action element 3048.

Calculation category component 3032 is illustrated in this example as adrop-down selection box indicating a default or last-user-selected valueof “New metric logic” as the calculation category. Other calculationcategories made available by drop-down selection box 3032 may include,for example, “Built-in Metrics” and “Advanced Analytics”. In oneembodiment, the determination of a metric value in the “New metriclogic” calculation category may be specified in terms of one or morecalculation lines. Components 3034, 3036, 3050, 3052, 3054, 3056 ofmetric determination area 3030 together represent such a calculationline. Additional calculation lines may be displayed by the AMRS as theresult of processing user indications of a desire for such additionalcalculation lines by interaction with “Add new logic” action element3058, in one embodiment. In one embodiment, calculation line deletionaction element 3034 enables a user to indicate a desire to delete thecalculation line of which is part. The AMRS receiving such an indicationmay perform such a deletion and refresh or update the interface display3000, accordingly.

Metric component 3036 is a drop-down selection box having an indicationof the current selection 3038, a selection deletion/cancellation actioncomponent 3042, and a drop-down display action button 3040. In oneembodiment, the selection list of drop-down selection box 3036 may bepopulated with the names of all metric fields/columns associated withany one or more nodes of the asset hierarchy associated with the metricbeing defined. In one embodiment, the selection list of drop-downselection box 3036 may be populated with the names of all metricfields/columns that is each associated with all of the nodes of theasset hierarchy associated with the metric being defined. Otherembodiments are possible. Calculation component 3050 is shown as adrop-down selection box displaying an indication of the currentlyselected calculation, here shown as “Average”. The calculation optionindicated by calculation component 3050 is the calculation or otherprocessing performed over the values for the field identified at 3036 inthe selected data during the execution of the search query. An entry offilter criteria at 3052 may be used to limit the calculation of 3050over the values of the field of 3036 for something less than all of thedata selected using the criteria of 3020 alone.

An entry of a units value and units component 3054 may be utilized bythe AMRS to tag or label calculation results internally or for externaldisplays, or may be utilized by the AMRS for normalization of differentvalues to a common unit. Operator component 3056 is a drop-downselection list enabling the user to make a selection of an operation tobe performed between the calculation of the calculation line in whichoperator component 3056 appears and a subsequent calculation line as maybe added by interaction with action element 3058. In one embodiment, theselection list of operator component 3056 may be populated withoperators including AND, OR, +, −, /, ×, and %, for example.

Metric time factor area 3060 may be used to display or specifyinformation of a metric definition for time-related aspects of thesearch query. Metric time factor area 3060 is shown to include schedulecomponent 3062 and span component 3064. Span component 3064 is shown asa drop-down selection list displaying “per hour” as the currentselection by default, prior user interaction, or other means. The AMRSprocesses an indicated selection of span component 3064 to determine asearch query, aspects, or portions that cause the executed search queryto match, select, filter, or identify the data pertaining only to theselected time span. While the indicated value for the span component3064 is, in a sense, internal to the search query, affecting theprocessing an execution of the search query will perform, in oneembodiment, an indicated value for schedule component 3062 is, in asense, external to the search query, not affecting the processing anexecution of the search query will perform, but rather affecting whenand/or how often the search query is performed. Schedule component 3062is shown as a drop-down selection list displaying “1 minute” as thecurrent selection by default, prior user interaction, or other means. Inone embodiment, the drop-down selection list of schedule component 3062may include 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 2 days, 3days, and 7 days, as available options, for example.

Footer area 3004 of interface 3000 is shown to include Cancel actionbutton 3070, Next action button 3072, and Finish action button 3074. Inresponse to receiving an indication of user interaction with Finishaction button 3074, the AMRS of one embodiment may create and store aproper representation of metric definition in computer storage,including representations of associations between the metric and one ormore nodes of the asset tree, and may cause navigation to another userinterface, perhaps interface 2900 of FIG. 18 . In response to receivingan indication of user interaction with Next action button 3072 of FIG.19 , the AMRS of one embodiment may create and store a properrepresentation of metric definition in computer storage, includingrepresentations of associations between the metric and one or more nodesof the asset tree, and then cause navigation to a user interface forconfiguring conditions and alerts based on the metric, such as theinterface illustrated and described in relation to FIG. 20 .

FIG. 20 illustrates a user interface display for a metrics condition andalerts console function. In an embodiment of an AMRS, interface 3100 ofFIG. 20 may be caused to be displayed on a user interface device inresponse to user interaction with “Next” action button 3072 of FIG. 19or Edit action button 2972 of FIG. 18 . When interface 3100 of FIG. 20is displayed in response to user interaction with “Next” action button3072 of FIG. 19 the data information components of the user interfacemay be empty, contain default values, and/or display tips to the userregarding the use of the component. When interface 3000 of FIG. 19 isdisplayed in response to user interaction with Edit action button 2972of FIG. 18 the data information components of the user interface may bepopulated with information values from an existing condition/alertdefinition. Interface 3100 of FIG. 20 is shown to include header area3102, footer area 3104, condition name component 3110, conditiondescription component 3112, condition line deletion action component3116, condition operator component 3120, threshold/multiplier component3122, urgency component 3124, alert option component 3126, “Add newcondition” action element 3118, “Save conditions” action element 3128,condition schedule component 3132, and condition span component 3134.Header area 3102 of interface 3100 is shown to include a title orcaption for the interface.

In this illustrative example, the condition name component 3110 is aninteractive text box used by the AMRS to display information it has forthe name or identifier of the condition and to receive indications of auser-desired value for the name or identifier of the condition.Similarly, the condition description component 3112 is an interactivetext box used by the AMRS to display information it has regarding adescription for the condition and to receive indications of auser-desired value for a description for the condition.

Footer area 3104 of interface 3100 is shown to include Cancel actionbutton 3142, Back action button 3144, Next action button 3146, andFinish action button 3148. In response to receiving an indication ofuser interaction with Finish action button 3148, the AMRS of oneembodiment may create and store a proper representation of a conditiondefinition in computer storage, and may cause navigation to another userinterface, perhaps interface 2900 of FIG. 18 . In response to receivingan indication of user interaction with Back action button 3144 of FIG.20 , the AMRS of one embodiment may create and store a properrepresentation of a condition definition in computer storage and thencause navigation to a prior user interface. In response to receiving anindication of user interaction with Next action button 3146, the AMRS ofone embodiment may create and store a proper representation of acondition definition in computer storage and then cause navigation to auser interface for configuring actions based on the condition, such asthe interface illustrated and described in relation to FIG. 21 .

In one embodiment, the determination of a condition may be specified interms of one or more condition lines, much as the determination of ametric value may be specified in terms of calculation lines as describedin reference to FIG. 19 . Components 3116, 3120, 3122, 3124, and 3126 ofFIG. 20 may together represent such a condition line. Additionalcondition lines may be displayed by the AMRS as the result of processinguser indications of a desire for such additional condition lines byinteraction with “Add new condition” action element 3118, in oneembodiment. In one embodiment, condition line deletion action element3116 enables a user to indicate a desire to delete the condition line ofwhich is part. The AMRS receiving such an indication may perform such adeletion and refresh or update the interface display 3100, accordingly.

Condition operator component 3120 is a drop-down selection box having anindication of the current selection, here shown as “Greater than (>)”,which may be a default or last-user-selected value. Inasmuch as thevalue selected for the condition operator component is a comparisonoperator, its first comparand is the value of the metric with which itis associated, and its second comparand is the value displayed and/orspecified via threshold/multiplier component 3122. Threshold/multipliercomponent 3122 is depicted in interface 3100 as an editable text boxenabling a user to indicate new values or edit those previouslydisplayed by the AMRS. During operation of the AMRS to perform assetmonitoring and reporting in accordance with a condition and alertdefinition established by the use of interface 3100, a determination maybe made by the AMRS that a condition specified by the combination of ametric value, a condition operator, and a threshold/multiplier value,has been met. As a result of that determination, the AMRS may perform orcause actions that may include recording a condition event record, asone example. In an embodiment, actions performed or caused by the AMRSas the result of such a determination may be characterized, classified,or attributed with an urgency level displayed and/or indicated atdefinition time by urgency component 3124 of interface 3100. In theexample where a condition event record is recorded upon determination ofthe condition, the event record may include an urgency field having avalue taken from the condition definition. In one embodiment, wheremultiple conditions are defined for a metric using multiple conditionlines of an interface such as 3100, the conditions may be effectivelyevaluated for the metric in the order in which they were defined, and afirst successful condition determination may terminate the search forany other satisfied condition. In one embodiment, where multipleconditions are defined for a metric using multiple condition lines of aninterface such as 3100, the conditions may each be evaluated in aparticular instance without regard to the success of any other, andmultiple conditions may be determined to be satisfied and may beprocessed as such. These and other embodiments are possible.

Alert option component 3126 is shown for interface 3100 as a binary setof mutually exclusive selection buttons. Other embodiments are possible.The selection indicated by alert option component 3126, whether bydefault or by user interaction, is reflected in the definitioninformation for the condition.

During operation of the AMRS to perform asset monitoring and reportingin accordance with a condition and alert definition established by theuse of interface 3100, a determination may be made by the AMRS that acondition specified by the combination of a metric value, a conditionoperator, and a threshold/multiplier value, has been met. As a result ofthat determination, the AMRS may perform one or more alert actions whichperformance, itself, may be conditioned directly or indirectly on thealert option value reflected in the definition information for thecondition. In one embodiment, an alert action may include posting analert event to an event data store. In one embodiment, and alert actionmay be an action defined through the use of a user interface such asthat depicted and described in relation to FIG. 21 .

In one embodiment, an AMRS may utilize the processing of a DIQ toperform search queries against metrics data to make determinationsregarding the satisfaction of one or more conditions. In such anembodiment, interface components 3132 and 3134 of interface 3100 may beused to display and indicate time related values for such a searchquery. Condition schedule component 3132 may be used to display andindicate a desired value for a frequency with which to schedule thecondition satisfaction search query. Condition span component 3134 maybe used to display and indicate a desired value that determines theduration of the time span of data considered by an execution of thecondition satisfaction search query.

FIG. 21 illustrates a user interface display for an actions consolefunction. In an embodiment of an AMRS, interface 3180 of FIG. 21 may becaused to be displayed on a user interface device in response to userinteraction with “Next” action button 3146 of FIG. 20 or Edit actionbutton 2976 of FIG. 18 . Interface 3180 of FIG. 21 is shown to includeheader area 3182, footer area 3184, and for action-type elements 3192,3194, 3196, and 3198. Header area 3182 is shown to display a title orcaption for the interface. Each of action-type elements 3192, 3194,3196, and 3198 represents a defined action of a particular type that maybe performed, initiated or caused by processing of the AMRS inassociation with condition/alert processing such as may be defined orconfigured via a user interface such as interface 3100 FIG. 20 . Thedefined actions may be parameterized or otherwise configurable orcustomizable. In one embodiment, a defined action may be packaged as aform of plug-in or extension module for the AMRS, and such a module mayinclude sufficient computer instructions, code, scripts, or the like,media properties (e.g., icons), and any other related data, to enablethe use of the defined action in the AMRS environment. In oneembodiment, user interaction with an action-type element may result inthe AMRS simply activating the defined action and possibly updatinginterface display 3180 to indicate the activation, perhaps by changingsome aspect of the visual appearance of the corresponding action-typeelement (e.g., background color). Such processing may be useful in thecase of the defined action that has no customizable or configurableparameters, or that has customizable or configurable parameters thevalues for which can be automatically determined using system or userprofile information, for example. In one embodiment, user interactionwith an action-type element may result in the AMRS causing the displayof a different user interface or additional user interface componentsthat enable a user to indicate customization or configurationinformation for the defined action instance. These and other embodimentsare possible. Example action-type elements shown for interface 3180include action-type element 3192 corresponding to a defined action ofsending an SMS message (specifically via the Twilio service),action-type element 3194 corresponding to a defined action of sending ane-mail message (perhaps using IMAP), action-type element 3196corresponding to a defined action of creating a work order in anincident tracking system (here, specifically a ServiceNow® system), andaction-type element 3198 corresponding to a defined action of a changein lighting color (here, specifically via Philips Hue Lights controltechnology).

Footer area 3184 is shown to include Cancel action button 3186, Backaction button 3187, and Finish action button 3188. In response toreceiving an indication of user interaction with Finish action button3188, the AMRS of one embodiment may create and store a properrepresentation of an action definition in computer storage, and maycause navigation to another user interface, perhaps interface 2900 ofFIG. 18 . In response to receiving an indication of user interactionwith Back action button 3187 of FIG. 21 , the AMRS of one embodiment maycreate and store a proper representation of an action definition incomputer storage and then cause navigation to a prior user interface.

FIG. 22 illustrates a user interface display for creating or editing acustom monitoring or reporting presentation for an asset tree. Interface3200 of FIG. 22 is such as might be caused to display during theprocessing associated with block 2346 of FIG. 12 , for example. In oneembodiment, a custom monitoring or reporting presentation for asset treeinformation may be termed a display or presentation view, and a viewinstance produced by the AMRS during the performance of its monitoringand reporting processes may be based on a view template that isconfigured and/or customized by the user. In one embodiment, such a viewmay be considered a dashboard, and its template a dashboard template.Interface 3200 of FIG. 22 illustrates one possible embodiment of a userinterface whereby a user may create, configure, and/or customize such aview template.

Interface 3200 of FIG. 22 is shown to include system header bar 2402,application information and menu bar 2902, function header bar 3206,asset display area 3230, toolbar 3222, view template display area 3250,and configuration display area 3270. System header bar 2402 andapplication information and menu bar 2902 are as described foridentically numbered elements appearing in, and described in relationto, depictions of user interface displays in earlier figures.

Function header bar 3206 is an embodiment of a header bar as may beuseful in an interface associated with the function of creating,configuring, and/or customizing a view template. Function header bar3206 is shown to include title 3210, display mode action button 3212,timeframe component 3214, Clear action button 3216, Revert action button3218, and Save action button 3220. Except for title 3210, interfacecomponents of function header bar 3206 of this illustrative example areinteractive elements that enable a user to make indications of datavalues and desired actions, for example, to AMRS functionality, whichthe AMRS computing machinery can then process according to its design,circuitry, and programming.

Display mode action button 3212 enables the user to request a togglingaction between two alternate display modes. An editing display mode isrepresented in interface 3200 of FIG. 22 as it appears and provides userinterface components for creating, configuring, and/or customizing(i.e., editing) a view template. When in editing display mode, displaymode action button 3212 displays the name of the alternate display mode,i.e., “View”. A user interaction with display mode action button 3212may result in the transition to a View mode user interface display wherea full-screen or near full-screen view is presented based on the currentworking state of the view template under construction. Timeframecomponent 3214 may be a drop down selection list interface componentthat enables a user to indicate a desired time or time frame of data touse in relation to data-driven or data-aware elements that may beincluded in a view template. A user interaction with Clear action button3216 in an embodiment may cause the view template under construction tobe emptied of all of its content. A user interaction with Revert actionbutton 3218 in an embodiment may have the effect of causing recentchanges made to a view template to be abandoned. In one embodiment auser interaction with Revert action button 3218 may cause theabandonment of only the single most recent change to the view template.In one embodiment, a user interaction with Revert action button 3218 maycause the abandonment of all changes made to the view template since thelast time Save action button 3220 was activated. In one embodiment, auser interaction with Revert action button 3218 may cause theabandonment of all changes made to the view template since the last timean autosave action was performed by the AMRS console processor. Otherembodiments are possible. A user interaction with Save action button3220, in one embodiment, may cause the current configuration of the viewtemplate under construction to be reflected in computer storage anywaysuch that it may be recalled or restored, perhaps by reflecting theconfiguration information in a named file in the filesystem of a hostcomputer.

Asset display area 3230 is shown to include area title 3232, assetsearch component 3234, and asset node list 3236. Asset node list 3236has similar content, organization, appearance, and formatting to assetnode lists of user interfaces illustrated and discussed in relation toearlier appearing figures. Similarly, a working understanding of assetsearch component 3234 may be developed by consideration of what has comebefore. Asset node list 3236 is shown to include asset node list entry3240 representing the level 1 asset node named “Output”, asset node listentry 3242 representing a child of the “Output” node, named “OutputPump-3”, and asset node list entry 3244 representing a child of the“Output Pump-3” node, named “Flow”. “Flow” asset list node entry 3244 isshown as having a darker background color than the other asset node listentries, indicating that it is the currently selected asset node listentry.

Toolbar 3222 is shown as having a number of tool icons such as “T” icon3224. Icons in toolbar 3222 may be selected by a user interaction tocause a particular effect, engage a particular function, and/or begin aparticular operational mode. For example, in one embodiment, a mouseclick on icon 3224 may cause the addition of an empty, default-sizedtext display element to the view template under construction, causing itto appear at a default location in view template display area 3250, andengaging an operational mode for entering text into the newly introducedtext display element. In an embodiment, many of the tools represented intoolbar 3222 may be associated with adding different types of elementsto the view template, and with manipulating the elements that arepresent in the template. In one embodiment, one or more tool icons maybe associated with static elements that may be included in the design ofthe view template. Such static elements may include text blocks orlabels, imported graphical imagery (e.g., icons, picture files, videos,fixed animations), or drawing elements such as shapes and lines. In oneembodiment, one or more tool icons may be associated with dynamicelements that may be included in the design of the view template. Suchdynamic elements may be data-driven or data-aware and may determine oneor more aspects of their appearance or behavior at a point in time basedon currently supplied data. Such data-driven or data-aware dynamicelements may be referred to as “widgets” in one embodiment. In one AMRSembodiment, a monitoring/reporting processor, and CCC console processorfunctions related thereto, may include functionality to implement anumber of built-in widgets and may further include functionality toimplement an extensible widget framework which functionality mayinclude, for example, functionality to recognize, install, or activatewidget modules, and functionality to exercise the content of thosemodules. In one such embodiment, widget modules may be packaged afterthe fashion of programming objects and have attributes or properties(associated data) and methods or behaviors (programmed actions) whichmay be accessible and/or exercisable by a recognized interface. In oneembodiment, a supported widget may be limited to receiving a single datafactor or component that drives it, such as the data of a particularmetric for a particular asset. In one embodiment, a supported widget maybe able to receive multiple data factors or components to drive it, suchas the data of different metrics that may be associated with the sameasset. These and other embodiments are possible.

View template display area 3250 is shown to include a representation ofsome or all of the view template currently under construction. (Forexample, a representation of only some of the current view template mayappear in display area 3250 where display area 3250 is smaller than thesize of the current view template. In such a case, view template displayarea 3250 may be scrollable.) The current view template is shown toinclude static graphical elements including, for example, pipe segmenticon/shape/picture 3252. The current view template is further shown toinclude multiple dynamic elements including widgets 3254, 3256, and3260. Widget 3254 is used to depict an Ozone-Tower asset and presents agraphical depiction of a tank or tower. Data of a fill-level metricassociated with the Ozone-Tower asset may drive the appearance of thewidget, for example, by adjusting the position of the boundary 3254 abetween a lower, blue, fill portion and an upper, black, empty portionof the tank/tower depiction. Widget 3256 is used to depict a proteinskimmer (PSK) asset and presents a graphical depiction of a proteinskimmer apparatus with three metric presentation blocks or tiles beneathit. Data related to a Water-level metric, an ORP-Level metric, and aTemperature metric may drive the appearance of the widget, and,particularly, the current value for each of the metrics is displayed ina corresponding one of the metric presentation blocks or tiles of thewidget, and an urgency level associated with each of the valuesdetermines the color of the text used to display the current value inthe metric presentation blocker tile (for example, the value of 100 forthe Water-level metric may be associated with a critical urgency leveland so may display in red). In one embodiment, the metric presentationblocks or tiles discussed in relation to widget 3256 may each be anindependent widget.

Widget 3260 is used to depict an asset named “Output-Pump-3”. Theappearance of the bounding box with control points around widget 3260may indicate that widget 3260 is the active element of the current viewtemplate. In one embodiment, the active element of the current viewtemplate may have its detailed configuration information presented inconfiguration display area 3270. Widget 3260 is shown to include a title3262 that corresponds to the name 3274 a of the asset designated as theassigned asset of the widget as seen in the assigned asset area 3274 ofconfiguration display area 3270. Widget 3260 is further shown to includepump icon 3264 which comes from a Pump.svg file as seen in icon area3272 of configuration display area 3270. Widget 3260 is further shown toinclude metric display block/tile 3266 which is driven by the data for aFlow metric as seen by metric token 3276 a in the Display Metrics area3276 of configuration display area 3270. Configuration display area 3270is shown to further include Display Alerts area 3278 where definedalerts to be displayed in association with the widget are represented bytokens, such as 3278 a; general drawing attributes area 3279; titledisplay option area 3280; data-driven animation control section 3282;drilldown area 3284 where a user interface navigation target 3284 a,such as a Diagnose interface display, is defined to use in circumstanceswhere a user double clicks or performs some other specified interactionwith the displayed widget; and update action button 3286 which enables auser to indicate the desire to synchronize the representation of thewidget displayed in 3250 with the representation of its configurationinformation displayed and 3270.

It is noted that a widget-depicted asset may have a corresponding assetnode list entry visible in asset display area 3230, or not—as in thecase where a superior node of the asset is in a collapsed state in assetnode list 3236. For example the Ozone-Tower asset represented by widget3254 may be subordinate in the asset hierarchy to the high levelOzonation-System asset represented by list entry 3246, but because theOzonation-System list entry 3246 is in a collapsed state, as indicatedby the “>” character in the entry, a list entry for the Ozone-Tower issuppressed and not visible.

When the creation, construction, editing, or such for a view template iscomplete, a user may activate Save action button 3220 to safely fix adefinition/configuration of the view template in computer storage andexit interface 3200.

The user interfaces already discussed in relation to asset hierarchymonitoring and reporting, namely, the user interfaces illustrated anddiscussed in relation to FIGS. 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 ,have largely related to interfaces employed by a command, control, andconfiguration console processor (such as CCC console 2134 of FIG. 10 ).These interfaces enable a user, such as a system administrator oroperator, to manipulate the virtual levers, buttons, dials, and switches(embodied in the information of a CCC data store such as 2132 of FIG. 10) that control the operation of the asset monitoring and reportingmachine. The focus now turns with the discussion of the figures thatfollows to the output side of the work performed by the AMRS machinery.Figures that follow relate largely to reporting interfaces that may beutilized by the AMRS during the processing described and contemplatedfor block 2350 of FIG. 12 as performed by a monitor/reporter processorsuch as 2142 of FIG. 10 , for example.

3.3 Asset Hierarchy Monitoring/Reporting

FIG. 23 illustrates a user interface display of a custom asset treepresentation. Interface 3400 of FIG. 23 may be used with great effect toreport against a defined asset tree hierarchy with a dynamic and highlycustomized presentation based on a view template as may have beencreated using an interface such as 3200 of FIG. 22 . Interface 3400 FIG.23 is shown to include system header bar 2402, application informationand menu bar 2902, tab controls area 3410, and active tab display area3420. System header bar 2402 and application information and menu bar2902 are as described for identically numbered elements appearing in,and described in relation to, depictions of user interface displays inearlier figures. Tab controls area 3410 is shown to include three tabcontrols, 3412, 3414, and 3416, each corresponding to a differentpresentation model for asset related data. Tab interfaces are understoodin the art and will not be elaborated here. Tab 3412, “Spatial View” isshown to be the active tab.

Active tab display area 3420 is shown to include spatial view headerarea 3422, and main display area 3424. Spatial view header area 3422 isshown to include a title indicative of the presentation model associatedwith the tab, but in another embodiment may additionally oralternatively include a title indicative of the asset tree beingreported or indicative of the particular view template used to generatethe display content. Other embodiments are possible. Spatial view headerarea 3422 is further shown to include Edit action button 3428 which mayenable a user to navigate to an interface such as 3200 of FIG. 22 inorder to modify the view template on which the presentation of userinterface 3400 of FIG. 23 is based. Main display area 3424 presents adisplay based on a view template and instantiated using current data.Monitor/reporter processor 2142 of FIG. 10 may, on some continuousbasis, update or refresh the content of main display area 3424 usingupdated or refreshed data.

FIG. 24 illustrates a user interface display for a metrics view.Interface 3500 of FIG. 24 is shown to include system header bar 2402,application information and menu bar 2902, tab controls area 3410,metrics view header area 3510, and main display area 3520. System headerbar 2402, application information and menu bar 2902 and tab controlsarea 3410 are as described for identically numbered elements appearingin, and described in relation to, depictions of user interface displaysin earlier figures. Tab 3414, “Metrics View” is shown to be the activetab. Main display area 3520 is shown to make a presentation of assetsrelated metrics data in a tabular format. Main display area 3520 isshown to include column header 3522 and table data area 3524. Columnheader 3522 is shown to include column headings 3522 a-e whichcorrespond respectively to the columns of the table 3540 a-e. Columnheading 3522 a displays “Asset” as the heading for first column 3540 a.Data in column 3540 a for each of table rows 3550 a-s is the name oridentifier of an asset node to which all of the data appearing in therow pertains. The remainder of the column headings 3522 b-e each containthe name of the metric for which measurement data appears in the column,and an indication of the relevant “Unit” or unit-of-measure designationthat denominates the measurement values for the metric. Column header3522 is further shown to include an add-column action button 3522 z.Interaction with ad-column action button 3522 z may cause the appearanceof another data column in the tabular display and a selection listpopulated as with the names of available metrics associated with nodesof the asset hierarchy. A user may indicate a selection from the listand the monitor/reporter processor of the AMRS will place the name ofthe indicated selection, along with the appropriate Unit value in thecolumn heading of the new column and will populate measurement for thatdata into each row of the table, as available. When populatingmeasurement data for the metrics into the rows of the table, generally,an embodiment may further determine a visual attribute or ornament foreach cell that corresponds to an urgency level associated with the valueof the measurement for the metric represented in the column. In theillustrative embodiment of FIG. 24 , the background color of a tablecell is the visual attribute used for indicating the urgency levelassociated with the measurement value. Accordingly, different backgroundcolors can be seen in the cells and, for example, the 5% measurementvalue for a Downtime metric as seen in cell 3560 may be considered anormal urgency value and so display with the background color of green,while the 7% measurement value for the Downtime metric as seen in cell3562 may be considered a warning urgency value and so display with abackground color of yellow, while the 9% measurement value for aDowntime metric as seen in cell 3564 may be considered a criticalurgency value and so display with the background color of red. Notably,cell 3566 displays with a background color of gray indicating that thereis no measurement data for the reported time period, for the metricindicated by the column of cell (3540 e) and the asset indicated by therow of the cell (3550 q). Such a condition may exist, for example, wherethe column metric is not relevant to the row asset, or where machinedata used for the measurement was not produced, lost, or delayed.

FIG. 25 illustrates a user interface display for a conditions and alertsview. Interface 3600 of FIG. 25 is shown to include system header bar2402, application information and menu bar 2902, tab controls area 3410,conditions and alerts view header area 3610, and main display area 3620.System header bar 2402, application information and menu bar 2902, andtab controls area 3410 are as described for identically numberedelements appearing in, and described in relation to, depictions of userinterface displays in earlier figures. Tab 3416, “Conditions & AlertsView” is the active tab. Main display area 3620 is shown to make apresentation of conditions and alerts data in a tabular format. Maindisplay area 3620 is shown to include column header 3622 and table dataarea 3624. Column header 3622 is shown to include column headingsrespectively corresponding to the columns of the table 3640 a-h, namely,“Condition Name”, “Category”, “Timestamp”, “Source”, “Asset”, “Metric”,“Value”, and “Unit”. The rows of table data area 3650 a-p are by defaultpopulated with conditions and alerts event information in reversechronological order, i.e., in descending order under Timestamp columnheading 3622 c. The background color of each row is determined by theurgency category associated with the row. Rows with “Normal” appearingin their “[urgency] Category” column have a green background; rows with“Medium” appearing in their “[urgency] Category” column have a yellowbackground; and rows with “Critical” appearing in their “[urgency]Category” column have a red background.

FIG. 26 illustrates a user interface display for a diagnostics view.Interface 3700 of FIG. 26 may provide a deep-dive or drill-downinterface which may be a destination of choice for an analyst whoobserves or suspects a problem based on information in a higher-leveland/or less detailed display, and then needs to see the detail in orderto diagnose the problem. As one example, a user may regularly monitorher water filtration system using the spatial view presentation ofinterface 3400 of FIG. 23 . If at some point, its urgency categorybecomes critical, and the widget representing the Sand Filter pump goesred, the spatial view interface may be so configured that the user mayinteract with the Sand Filter pump, such as by double-clicking, tonavigate directly to interface 3700 of FIG. 26 . Interface 3700 is shownto include system header bar 2402, application information and menu bar2602, diagnose header 3710, graph lanes 3720, 3630, 3640, and 3650, andviewport time range indicator 3762. System header bar 2402 andapplication information and menu bar 2602 are as described foridentically numbered elements appearing in, and described in relationto, depictions of user interface displays in earlier figures. Diagnoseheader 3710 is shown to include asset identifier 3712, new lane selector3714, timeframe selector 3716, comparison timeframe selector 3718, “Sendalert” action button 3764, and “Save” action button 3766. In oneembodiment, user interaction with new lane selector 3714 may cause thedisplay of a selection list from which the user may indicate a selectionof an available metric or other data source to populate an additionalgraph lane in interface 3700. In one embodiment, user interaction withtimeframe selector 3716 may cause the display of a list of options fortimeframe from which the user may indicate a desired selection. Inresponse to receiving the user's indication of a selection the AMRS maycause search query executions to gather the data for the newly selectedtimeframe for each of the graph lanes displayed in the interface theAMRS may then update or refresh interface 3700 with the new data and mayupdate viewport time frame indicator 3762 appropriately. In oneembodiment, user interaction with comparison timeframe selector 3718 maycause the display of a list of options from which the user may select atimeframe of data to plot in the graph lanes for comparison against theprimary timeframe as designated at 3716. Options in the selection listassociated with 3718 may be absolute or relative timeframe options andembodiments may vary as to the manner in which the comparison data ispresented in the graph lanes, for example, whether side-by-side,over-under, or superimposed. A user may interact with “Save” actionbutton 3766 to save the current configuration and settings of interface3700 as a template or pattern to reuse at some future date.

In one embodiment, each of the graph lanes of the diagnostics interfacehas a graph lane information and control portion and a graph viewportportion. For example, graph lane 3720 has graph lane information andcontrol portion 3722 and graph viewport portion 3724. A graph laneinformation and control portion may include the name of the metric orother data source that provides the data represented in the graphviewport portion. Measurement data of the metric or data from anothersource may then be plotted or otherwise graphed or represented in thegraph viewport portion of the graph lanes. An axis of the graph viewportportion represents a time dimension (often the long axis) and the graphlane data is depicted as a time series. In one embodiment, a common timeaxis is used for all of the displayed graph lanes. In one embodiment,the non-time axis may be auto scaled by AMRS processing determinations.In one embodiment, a Settings icon such as 3723 may be available foreach of the graph lanes and enable a user to adjust various settings forthe graph lane, for example, the graph style or color. These and otherembodiments are possible.

FIG. 27 illustrates a user interface display for a map view of assettree data. Interface 3800 of FIG. 27 may make the map view visualizationavailable to the user via a tab control 3802. The map view of 3800 isshown to include map header area 3810 displaying an name, title, orcaption for the map, perhaps a name associated with the root node of theasset hierarchy. Map header area 3810 is further shown to include “Edit”action button 3814. User interaction with Edit action button 3814 in oneembodiment may result in the presentation of a different or updatedinterface that enable the user to modify the content, layout,configuration, and definition of the map view template. A map viewtemplate may include static elements such as the image of the backgroundmap and may include dynamic, data-driven elements such as asset icons3830, 3832, and 3834, for example, and such as metric widgets or tiles3822 a-c appearing in a metrics reporting area 3822. Defined metrics andconditions may be used to determine an urgency category and or one ormore particular attributes of an asset icon in the map view, such as itscolor. User interaction with an asset icon such as a hover-overinteraction with asset icon 3830 in one embodiment may result in thetransient display of an asset information box 3840. Embodiments may varygreatly as to the amount and types of information presented in an assetinformation box which may include, for example, asset definitionmetadata, associated metric names, conditions and alerts, and any otherinformation.

FIG. 28 illustrates a user interface display for a map you of asset treedata with a timeline. Careful consideration of interface 3900 of FIG. 28will reveal many similarities to interface 3800 of FIG. 27 . Noteworthydifferences include the representation of mobile rather than stationaryassets by the icons of interface 3900, and the presence of timelinecontrol and navigation block 3940. Timeline control and navigation block3940 in many respects is a timeline player for the map. A lineartimeline is depicted by baseline 3944 and the end-to-end duration, andthe start and end times are determined by timeframe component 3942 whichin one embodiment may be implemented as a drop down selection list. Timeposition indicator 3946 represents the point in time within the timeframe represented by baseline 3944 that is currently represented by themap view. As the time position indicator 3946 moves to differentpositions along baseline 3944 one can expect that asset icons for mobileassets such as asset icons 3920, 3910, and 3924, which may representtrucks in a fleet, for example, will move to different positions in themap so as to show their location of record at the time indicated by timeposition indicator 3946 in the timeframe. Geographic points of interestand constructs thereof, for example, Route 3910, may also be included inthe map view. In one embodiment, geographic points of interest andconstructs may be used in the determination of conditions and alerts.For example, a critical urgency level may be indicated where a truckasset departs more than 2 miles from the route asset. Time positionindicator 3946 may be moved along the timeline by click and draginteractions, in one embodiment. Time position indicator 3946 may bemoved along the timeline in a steady progressive way by activating playbutton 3948. Timeline control and navigation block 3940 also includestimeline graph area 3950. An embodiment may enable the graphing of oneor more time series into timeline graph area 3950. The datavisualization in graph area 3950 (which may be in alignment with timebaseline 3944) may provide a quick visual clue as to time periods thatmay present more useful information. These and other embodiments arepossible.

The preceding description sets forth numerous specific details such asexamples of specific systems, components, methods, and so forth, inorder to provide a good understanding of several embodiments of thepresent invention. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art,however, that at least some embodiments of the present invention may bepracticed without these specific details. In other instances, well-knowncomponents or methods are not described in detail or are presented insimple block diagram format in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuringthe present invention. Thus, the specific details set forth are merelyexemplary. Particular implementations may vary from these exemplarydetails and still be contemplated to be within the scope of the presentinvention.

In the above description, numerous details are set forth. It will beapparent, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art having thebenefit of this disclosure, that embodiments of the invention may bepracticed without these specific details. In some instances, well-knownstructures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than indetail, in order to avoid obscuring the description.

Some portions of the detailed description are presented in terms ofalgorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bitswithin a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions andrepresentations are the means used by those skilled in the dataprocessing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their workto others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally,conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desiredresult. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physicalquantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take theform of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It hasproven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, torefer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters,terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise as apparent from the above discussion, itis appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizingterms such as “determining”, “identifying”, “adding”, “selecting” or thelike, refer to the actions and processes of a computer system, orsimilar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transformsdata represented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within thecomputer system's registers and memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computer system memoriesor registers or other such information storage, transmission or displaydevices.

Embodiments of the invention also relate to an apparatus for performingthe operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed forthe required purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computerselectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored inthe computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computerreadable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of diskincluding floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic-opticaldisks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs,EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable forstoring electronic instructions.

The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently relatedto any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purposesystems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachingsherein, or it may prove convenient to construct a more specializedapparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structurefor a variety of these systems will appear from the description below.In addition, the present invention is not described with reference toany particular programming language. It will be appreciated that avariety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachingsof the invention as described herein.

Implementations that are described may include graphical user interfaces(GUIs). Frequently, an element that appears in a GUI display isassociated or bound to particular data in the underlying computersystem. The GUI element may be used to indicate the particular data bydisplaying the data in some fashion, and may possibly enable the user tointeract to indicate the data in a desired, changed form or value. Insuch cases, where a GUI element is associated or bound to particulardata, it is a common shorthand to refer to the data indications of theGUI element as the GUI element, itself, and vice versa. The reader isreminded of such shorthand and that the context renders the intendedmeaning clear to one of skill in the art where a distinction between aGUI element and the data to which it is bound is meaningful.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to beillustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will beapparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding theabove description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

The preceding point may be elaborated with a few examples. Many detailshave been discussed and disclosed in regards to user interfacesincluding graphical user interfaces (GUIs). While it is convenient todescribe inventive subject matter in terms of embodiments that includefamiliar technologies, components, and elements, the inventive subjectmatter should not be considered to be constrained to these, and theready availability and appropriateness of substitutes, alternatives,extensions, and the like is to be recognized. What may be shown ordescribed as a single GUI or interface component should liberally beunderstood to embrace combinations, groupings, collections,substitutions, and subdivisions in an embodiment. What may be shown ordescribed as a single GUI or interface component may be embodied as anatomic or truly elemental interface component, or may readily beembodied as a complex or compound component or element having multipleconstituent parts. What may be shown, described, or suggested to be auniformly shaped and contiguous GUI or interface component, such as aninterface region, area, space, or the like, may be readily subject toimplementation with non-uniformly shaped or noncontiguous display realestate.

As yet one more example, apparatus that perform methods, processes,procedures, operations, or the like, disclosed herein may be referred toas a computer, computer system, computing machine, or the like. Any suchterminology used herein should be reasonably understood as embracing anycollection of temporarily or permanently connected hardware devices incombination with any software each requires to operate and performoperations and functions necessary to an implementation of an inventiveaspect. Adopting such an understanding is consistent with moderncomputing practices and eliminates the need to obscure the disclosure ofinventive aspects with catalogs of implementation options andalternatives.

As one final example, methods, procedures, or processes may be describedherein by reference to flow charts or block diagrams and possibly interms of sequences of steps or operations. It should be understood,however, that the practice of an inventive aspect is generally notlimited to the number, ordering, or combination of operations as may bedescribed for an illustrative embodiment used to teach and convey anunderstanding of inventive aspects possibly within a broader context.Accordingly, not all operations or steps described are illustrated maybe required to practice of an inventive aspect. Different embodimentsmay variously omit, augment, combine, separate, reorder, or reorganizethe performance of operations, steps, methods, procedures, functions,and the like disclosed or suggested herein without departing from aninventive aspect. Further, where sequences of operations may beillustrated, suggested, expressed, or implied, an embodiment practicinginventive aspects may perform one or more of those operations or sets ofoperations in parallel rather than sequentially.

Accordingly, inventive aspects disclosed herein should be consideredbroadly without unnecessary limitation by the details of the disclosure,and should be considered as limited only by accompanying claims or wherereason demands it.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer implemented method comprising:performing, by one or more processors, a search of data, the searchincluding user-supplied criteria information, the data includingoperational machine data from one or more components of a systemproducing asset data; causing, by the one or more processors, display ofresults of the search, the results of the search comprising a pluralityof values each associated with at least one of a plurality of fields;receiving, by the one or more processors, user input providingclassifications for the results of the search, the classificationsindicating asset identifier and asset parent identifier fields among theplurality of fields in the results of the search; identifying, based onthe user input and the results of the search, a plurality of uniqueassets identifiers and corresponding asset parent identifiers; andautomatically generating a computer representation of an asset hierarchycomprising an asset node for each asset identifier, an asset parent nodefor each asset parent identifier, and a representation of hierarchicalrelationships between asset nodes and asset parent nodes.
 2. The methodof claim 1 wherein the system producing asset data is an industrialcontrol system.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the industrial controlsystem performs supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)processing.
 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the industrial controlsystem performs remote monitoring and control processing.
 5. The methodof claim 1 wherein the operational machine data is further from one ormore components of a second system producing asset data.
 6. The methodof claim 5 wherein the system producing asset data is an industrialcontrol system and wherein the second system producing asset data is notan industrial control system.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the assethierarchy further comprises information associating a metric with one ormore of the asset nodes.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the results ofthe search are included in a table, and wherein the plurality of fieldscomprise a plurality of columns comprising a first column of assetidentifiers and a second column of asset identifiers, each unique assetidentifier from among the first column and the second column identifyinga unique respective asset, and wherein an asset corresponding to anasset identifier of the second column of a particular row has a parentalhierarchical relationship to an asset corresponding to an assetidentifier of the first column of the particular row.
 9. The method ofclaim 8 wherein the classifications provided by the user input indicatethat the first column comprises the asset identifier fields and that thesecond column comprises the asset parent identifier fields.
 10. Themethod of claim 9 wherein the plurality of columns further comprises athird column, wherein the classifications provided by the user inputfurther indicate that the third column comprises metadata fields, andwherein the asset hierarchy further comprises metadata information forat least one of the asset nodes from the third column of the table. 11.A system comprising: a memory; and one or more processing devicescoupled with the memory to perform operations comprising: performing asearch of data, the search including user-supplied criteria information,the data including operational machine data from one or more componentsof a system producing asset data; causing display of results of thesearch, the results of the search comprising a plurality of values eachassociated with at least one of a plurality of fields; receiving userinput providing classifications for the results of the search, theclassifications indicating asset identifier and asset parent identifierfields among the plurality of fields in the results of the search;identifying, based on the user input and the results of the search, aplurality of unique assets identifiers and corresponding asset parentidentifiers; and automatically generating a computer representation ofan asset hierarchy comprising an asset node for each asset identifier,an asset parent node for each asset parent identifier, and arepresentation of hierarchical relationships between asset nodes andasset parent nodes.
 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the systemproducing asset data is an industrial control system.
 13. The system ofclaim 12 wherein the industrial control system performs supervisorycontrol and data acquisition (SCADA) processing.
 14. The system of claim11 wherein the operational machine data is further from one or morecomponents of a second system producing asset data, wherein the systemproducing asset data is an industrial control system and wherein thesecond system producing asset data is not an industrial control system.15. The system of claim 11 wherein the asset hierarchy further comprisesinformation associating a metric with one or more of the asset nodes.16. The system of claim 11 wherein the results of the search areincluded in a table, and wherein the plurality of fields comprise aplurality of columns comprising a first column of asset identifiers anda second column of asset identifiers, each unique asset identifier fromamong the first column and the second column identifying a uniquerespective asset, and wherein an asset corresponding to an assetidentifier of the second column of a particular row has a parentalhierarchical relationship to an asset corresponding to an assetidentifier of the first column of the particular row.
 17. The system ofclaim 16 wherein the classifications provided by the user input indicatethat the first column comprises the asset identifier fields and that thesecond column comprises the asset parent identifier fields.
 18. Thesystem of claim 17 wherein the plurality of columns further comprises athird column, wherein the classifications provided by the user inputfurther indicate that the third column comprises metadata fields, andwherein the asset hierarchy further comprises metadata information forat least one of the asset nodes from the third column of the table. 19.A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoding instructionsthereon that, in response to execution by one or more processingdevices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform operationscomprising: performing a search of data, the search includinguser-supplied criteria information, the data including operationalmachine data from one or more components of a system producing assetdata; causing display of results of the search, the results of thesearch comprising a plurality of values each associated with at leastone of a plurality of fields; receiving user input providingclassifications for the results of the search, the classificationsindicating asset identifier and asset parent identifier fields among theplurality of fields in the results of the search; identifying, based onthe user input and the results of the search, a plurality of uniqueassets identifiers and corresponding asset parent identifiers; andautomatically generating a computer representation of an asset hierarchycomprising an asset node for each asset identifier, an asset parent nodefor each asset parent identifier, and a representation of hierarchicalrelationships between asset nodes and asset parent nodes.
 20. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein theasset hierarchy further comprises information associating a metric withone or more of the asset nodes.